Betty Sun Violates One-Child Policy; the Rich Can Buy Their Way to More Kids?
What was originally meant to be a time for celebration and rejoicing had evolved into criticism towards mainland Chinese actress Betty Sun (孙俪). On February 8, Betty Sun – best known for her period drama The Legend of Zhen Huan <后宫甄嬛传> – announced via her Weibo that she is pregnant with her second child. The 31-year-old actress married 35-year-old fellow actor Deng Chao (邓超) in 2010, and their first-born, a boy, was born in 2011. Knowingly violating China’s one-child policy, Betty’s second pregnancy drew backlash that the rich can buy their way to having more children.
Betty wrote, “[Today] is Mr. Deng’s 35th birthday. It is [my son’s] third birthday, and Director Deng’s first birthday! Today also marks the day I’ve become a superwoman for the fourth year! I am anticipating our brand new family model: 1+1=4.” Betty shared photos of the family spending time at a beach. In the photos, Betty is wearing a sundress and looks to be at least five months pregnant.
Though many netizens gave Betty and her family their heartfelt blessings and congratulatory messages on her pregnancy, others were left confused. Due to mainland China’s one-child policy to control the nation’s growing population, mainland Chinese citizens – with the exception of ethnic minorities – are only allowed to have one child. Families in which neither parent has siblings are allowed to have two. Those who violate the policy are required to pay a hefty fine, and Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou (张艺谋), who was discovered to have violated the policy by having three children, had to pay about 7.5 million RMB to the local family planning bureau.
Betty’s second pregnancy is a violation of the one-child policy and raised questions as to why celebrities can play by a different set of rules. A netizen commented on Betty’s pregnancy, “Your Highness, may I ask if you hold the permit to have a second child?” Another wrote, “I also really admire your television dramas, but shouldn’t the one-child policy be equal to everyone? So celebrities have the privilege to have more kids?”
Source: Sina.com
This article is written by Addy for JayneStars.com.
““Your Highness, may I ask if you hold the permit to have a second child?” ”
If you can pay the fine and bear all your child’s expenses, education and all 100% by yourself, well go and have a 2nd, 3rd, 4th child. If you are poor and can’t afford it, shut up.
Absolutely agree. The same thing can arguably be said of countries everywhere.
Sounds harsh, but I agree with this 100% as well. I think this policy should be enforced in every country. China is the only country that is behaving responsibly in this matter.
The world is overpopulated as it is and this would go a long way in getting unemployment and poverty in check.
I will never understand why people have trouble with the idea.
Having children should be considered a privilege ( so that they are all treasured) and not a (abused for government profit) right.
“I think this policy should be enforced in every country.”
You do realize that in some countries such as Japan and Canada, we have an aging population and are facing economic, social and health consequences of aging populations.. The reason why Canada’s population is growing is due to immigration..
Both aging and growing too rapidly population is problematic for governments.
Sorry to burst your bubble Panzer, but China’s one-child policy is NOT an example of responsible behaviour, but rather, it’s just another example of taking away people’s rights to choose for themselves in regards to how many children they do or don’t want. If controlling population growth is really the priority and concern of a country, then there is one very very simple solution: educate women. Many studies have shown that countries with high education and literacy rates for women also have low birth rates, mainly due to the fact that women are no long treated like baby photocopying machines. So, if China is really concerned about overpopulation, then they need to get rid of the one-child-policy-bandage-solution and start tackling real problems, like access to education for women (and men) in rural areas, equal opportunities for women in the workforce, social and familial equality (as opposed to patriarchal families and a male-dominated society, etc). Look at Canada, Britain, South Korea, Japan, etc. These countries have low birth rates because of equal access to education and employment and gender equality (although still not 100%). Allow women to be contributing members of society instead of domestic slaves, allow them financial, emotional and mental independence, treat them as individuals who are free to make their own choices rather than a possession, and I can assure you birth rates will drop. But China doesn’t really want this, does it?
Why the hell would you even compare advanced countries with china that has barely gotten rid of their developing country status? The one child policy was placed when women rights were unheard of in a few of the countries you stated. You just can’t expect a developing country as large as china to have human rights like they do in Canada overnight. Or do you? I have heard that China is allowing couples who are single child themselves to have a second child.
I would much rather some governments control these idiots from piping out all these kids than talk about human rights. I have witnessed so many immigrants from India, china or other developing countries that come to North America and start popping out 5 or 6 kids then sits on their @$$ and claims welfare. Whereas the working class has to pay for these losers. Yup, that’s what you get when you allow these selfish idiots their ‘human rights’.
I agree with MT,In china nowadays also have lots woman who are educated and can financially support themselves in the city doesn’t want dating/marriage too.
Totally agree. Same for people in other country. If you can’t afford it, stop having kids and then live off the government! So typically here in the US that it’s not even funny!!!
Totally agree!
Congratulation to Betty Sun and Deng Chao.. Such a happy family 🙂
i thought china had new two child policy in 2014?
I personally don’t think china would allow such a law. But it is possible to have two child. In some places in china your able to have another child if the first born is a girl or has disability
that’s what I also read. Due to the aging population. two kids are now OK
They did had two child policy if one of the parents is an only child
yuuuup 100% agree with you, funn!!
First time I agreed with you but if she can pay the fine, then she can have 2nd child.
China and all of Chinese policies are so strict. What will happen if someone gave birth to twins or triplet? Will they also be fined for that? Screw the one child policy.
Twins and triplets are fine. Or so I heard. Apparently, some people even treat them and give them free meals since it’s they’re so lucky and “rare”.
And blame those who enforced/encouraged population growth in the first place. What they ended up with instead is OVERPOPULATION, so something had to be done. (Even though I don’t agree with the policy depriving humans of one of the basics in life.)
Um.. if you look closely at history, China’s population has always been big. Due to the expansion of its Empire and part assimilation, it’s no wonder we have such a colossal amount of people.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010census/2010-08/20/content_11182379.htm
Between 1949 and 1976 – the year the one child policy was brought into play – the population nearly doubled…
Sorry, 1979
The photo on the right is pretty sweet. Congratulations to the family~
Read horror stories how 6 or 7 months pregnant and dragged to have forced abortion! insane! Those having twins? Won’t they force you to abort one in the womb?
Your allow to have twins or triplets but you can’t have more then one birth. If they all come out within one delivery it is consider one child.
I think it might be insane if you’re looking from the outside. I remember a business trip to China, foreigner saves a kid who was caught in the current of a river.
He was wondering why people just looked and didn’t bother saving the kid. The response was “there are so many of us that missing a couple won’t make a difference”.
As rich as China is, a lot of the brainwash still lingers from the Mao era and when you’ve got half your population still in rural areas I don’t find it surprising really.
Um they even asked if Rich people get a different set of rules? Well obviously. They have the abilities and finances to support this. Also, there are loopholes. Today. if both parents were the only child in their families respectively, they are granted the opportunity to have two.
welcome to the two faced china…it’s ok people..some of you should get used to it by now..
Make it % based. If you’re poor with 100,000 savings or rich with 100,000,000 savings then just say if you violate it then we take 30% after extensive probing into your finances, etc. Now everybody can feel the sting and be happy knowing either way you’re screwed. That should at least make people think twice about sharing it with the world and making this kind of news a less frequent occurrence.
Not news, I meant this kind of clash between the poor and rich.
I’m sorry but you make it sound like getting pregnant with a child is one of the worst things in the world. Sure rich people have money to support and fund an extra kid but at the same time, why must they be scrutinize for it? Life’s unfair. So you’re poor and you can’t afford another child, then use PROTECTION. You can’t go and lash out to those who can financially afford it. China makes it sound like child-bearing is almost buying an accessory. It’s so sad how society has turned for the worst.
It is % based or at least according to the article linked about Zhang Yimou being fined 7.5 million RMB.
“The fine is calculated based on the parents’ income in comparison to the average annual salary of their city of residence.”
Being % based isn’t really going to punish the rich all that much-taking 30 thousands from someone who makes a million, he still has 70 thousands to spend.
Taking 3 thousands from someone who makes 10 thousand, he has only 7 thousand left.
I’ll address both replies here.
Being pregnant isn’t the worst thing in the world nor was it my intention to make it seem so. What I’m saying is if you make it a flat % across the board then at least it will appear more fair. This is what you want, the illusion that you’re treating everyone fairly regardless of class. As a government you won’t want your policies to appear like it favors anyone in particular.
I’m unfamiliar with how they punish or fine but if it’s based on just income then that differentiates a bit of what I had in mind. I was going for a % based on your entire wealth hence the probing part and making your policy sting for those who violate it. China seems pretty firm on this policy (to my knowledge) so it would reinforce the legislation.
Otherwise, stuff like this makes it on to the news. Some people will bless, some will think you’re gloating and perceive it as unfairness. This is simply human nature. The last time the poor finally decided they wanted more fairness and didn’t buy into the old class system or just simply think “life’s unfair” we ended up with a bloodbath revolution in Europe.
I agree with you that China does make child-bearing look like you’re buying some kind of commodity but I think the bigger issues lies with the fact that we quantify and monetize everything these days.
Congrats to Betty and her family!
If you can afford more kids why not!
from most loved celebrity to getting many haters? there goes betty sun’s career bye bye
Why is her career going bye bye? Sorry but what you said makes no sense at all.
Oh…it doesn’t seem like rich people have different rules. This family is after all being fined – they just have money to pay. Shouldn’t netizens be more glad that they are not traveling illegally to give birth to children without paying anything?
Hm.. Then I wonder if it is legal or illegal for people who have money to go to the US and other countries to give birth in order to claim citizenship. I heard Liu Tao did that but really wonder if it is because of this policy or is it because of wanting to claim American citizenship for her kids or both?
So all the other billions of poor people should just cry in the corner and lament that they are not privilaged enough to have more children? I dont think so.
Not that I agree with the one child policy, but if having children is a basic right of life and the majority of the population is denied it why should those who afford it get the right?
The fine is meant to act as a deterrent. Since most people cant afford nowhere near the fines. If rich people were to pay their way out then they should be fined a proportion equal to what the poor would expect to pay i.e more than they’re earning.
As they are. If you can’t afford children, then limit how many children you have. There are no state benefits and don’t expect other people to pay for your children. China has overpopulation. They need to curb the population. It is not that they don’t allow more children for a couple but you need to pay for that right. That’s how things are. If you can afford it, by all means. If you can’t, please don’t burden the society.
China did not implement the one child policy because people couldn’t afford children, most can if they weren’t fined their life savings for having them. Money is simply one means of deterrent. Its not a case of if you have money have more like you suggest.
In china any children who is not the first born are treated like second class citizens and they dont even get official documents. Parents of them become ostracised even in their work environment. A company can strip all employees of bonuses because one employee has more than one child causing you to become singled out. There’s social implications that come with it too, it’s not simply buy your way out.
If you have money, yes by all means it should mean you have lavish it whatever way you want, have all the caviar you can eat and nose jobs you like. It shouldnt mean you have have as many children you like, considered a basic human right, but stripped of probably >90% of the population because they cant afford it, and some even given forced abortions because of it.
yayy!! congrats to them!!!1 😛
it’s not that every land is populated but of course mainly china is overpopulated. if she can afford then she can have as many children as she wants. i dont really like the one child policy but i understand that the Chinese government had reasons of overpopulation and of course when they made this policy they know the rich can get away with it. but i do wonder what they do with these fines anyways, are they using for maybe sex education or something like that to prevent others from having more children. bottom line is Sun Li and Deng Chao can have as much children as they want and yes they can afford it. they having enough to support their children is better some parents who neglect their children. no need to hate the couple, “hate” their culture in the first place for having large clan to have power, money, land, carry on family name, maybe love, but it’s more like Asian culture who likes big families. stop hating, emigrate if you want more children.
1. I agreed with Funn Lim > have more children if you can TOTALLY supporting them.
2. How does China’s one child policy work if a Chinese citizen from China married someone else from another country (if they DON’T live in China permanently)?
3. Some countries are worrying about the low birth rates in their countries because fewer people are having children and women are having babies much later in life.
As long as your partner is not a citizen of china you do not need to pay the fine if I did not remember wrongly.
Thank you for your answer.
life is unfair = there is no god..PERIOD!
The problem is China’s policy, not about being rich. Responsible parenting is important, but limiting people’s rights to have children is wrong. Countries should punish irresponsible parents…not limit good citizens from having more than one child.