THE LOW BIRTH RATE has been a focus for discussions at the ongoing annual sessions of the National People's Congress, the nation's top legislature, and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the nation's top political advisory body. Liu Dajun, a CPPCC National Committee member, has suggested offering subsidies to encourage couples to have a second child. Beijing News comments:

One year has passed since China revised its family planning policy to, in principle, allow every couple to have two children. However, that move has not raised the birth rate as expected.

Other policies are needed to encourage people to have more children. There are many couples hesitating to have a second child because of the cost of raising children.