Fertility choices in China under the two-child policy

Individuals who are economically well-off, or who possess a specific or mixed-gender preference for their children tend to have a much higher intention to have two children. The findings of this study strongly support the fact that ‘cultural factors’ play an important role in determining Chinese people’s intention to have two children. But for policymakers, the overall findings imply that the ‘two-child’ policy is likely ineffective in stimulating a higher fertility rate in the short term given that the economic wellbeing of a family exerts a far more significant impact on fertility intention than cultural and behavioral dimensions.