Zhang Yimou Investigated by Chinese Officials for Breaching China’s One Child Policy
On November 29, Wuxi’s Health and Family Planning Bureau announced on their official Weibo page that they are currently in the process of investigating Zhang Yimou (张艺谋) for flouting China’s One Child Policy.
In an official letter issued by Zhang Yimou and his reps, which was posted on the official Weibo page of Zhang Yimou Studios on December 1, the filmmaker admitted to having three children – two sons and a daughter – with his wife, Chen Ting (陈婷). Their two sons and daughter, respectively born in 2001, 2004, and 2006, were born out of wedlock. Zhang Yimou and Chen Ting did not register for marriage until September 2011.
Although Zhang Yimou and his family are registered as permanent residences of Wuxi, the family does not live in Wuxi in the long-term.
Zhang Yimou and Cheng Ting stated that they will be cooperative with the authorities and will provide all necessary information for further investigation. He also refuted the media’s claims of him having seven children with several women, stressing that he only has three children. He ended the statement by apologizing to the public for violating the policy and for the negative consequences that came with his actions.
Breaching the One Child Policy can result in a fine up to 160 million RMB, as well as the need to pay a social compensation fee derived from their annual income. Zhang Yimou and Chen Ting stated that they are willing to accept the penalty. The family planning authorities also reported that Zhang Yimou and Cheng Ting are cooperative in the investigation, but the office did not provide any details on how the couple managed to evade the policy.
The controversial One Child Policy was first introduced by China’s Communist Party in 1979 as an attempt to curb mainland China’s growing population. The policy states that urban couples are only allowed to have one child, while rural families are allowed to have two children if their first-born is a girl. Last month, the government announced that it would allow any couple to have two children if one of the parents is a single child.
Source: 21CN.com
This article is written by Addy for JayneStars.com.
So the one child policy can be circumvented if you’re willing to pay the fines?
Miriamfanz,
My uncle, who lived in a rural village in Guangdong province, also paid fines for having a third child in the 80s. I forgot the amount he had to pay; it was expensive but not exorbitant. His first two children were born before the One Child Policy was implemented.
I see… Thanks for the info.
When was the one child policy put into affect? I notice that the ones who have siblings were born in the 70s and 80s. I think that policy has too many holes and problems. First of all is the shortage of girls so it is harder for guys to find wives. Also, is it a law only for the rich? How come it seems ok to have more than one kid as long as you pay a fine? But the ones who are poor and cannot afford to have to suffer the consequences. I read a story where a child was aborted just because her parents could not afford to pay the fine. That is just so sad.
HeTiesSou, your comments show your ignorance of China as a country, and of China’s policy in general.
Anyone with some interests in current affairs would know the answers to your questions but apparently you don’t.
Yet, you always write here with a notion of being quite knowledgeble, and gave critics etc. But this proves you are not.
In other words, you know how to BS.
Back in college days, Asians who had not studied the night before can’t really ‘contribute’ in class discussion, they will keep quiet, but Americans can and will talk the loudest. But on digging deeper, we found they too have not studied, but know how to BS their way through and look knowledgeable in the process, an dthe professor gave them credit points for speaking up. Hahaha, its true. NO bs here.
Now, the only thing we know of you is, you are from a western country.
Looks like our Asian entrenched perception that Americans are naive, knows little about the world outside of theirs and yet thinks superior and bathed in US news ‘propaganda’, of which they will never admit to, because… tada!!, we have a free media, they say.
The fine in the 80s was $500. A lot back then. I was the third child in 1984. Mom have to hide in serveral relatives home her entire pregnancy to avoid forced abortion. After I was allow to live they gave my Mom a forced sterilization without pain meds. They were about to kill me once I was born. Thank God our family was prepared with the money in hand if we were a mintue late I would be dead. The one child per family policy is extremely cruel and absolutely an heartless act. Free your people with good laws the people who favor it not nonesense. @Proven beyond a reasonable doubt says. Talking about BS…you’re the perfect example…plain BS no points or comment sense; not convincing at all. China would be a perfect place for you if you like the powerful Gov’t to tell you what you can and cannot do and how live your life. HeTieShou would be fined, put in jail or worst scenerio killed for challenging the policy. America is not perfect and the fact is there is no Heaven on earth but at least America is better then other countries, you can make your voice heard if you disagree and not be kill or put in to jail. America is going down… hope there’s a turn around and is good to have hope. Our law and history are based in God’s law how our founder fought hard to win our freedom for generations to come. With His grace and blessings this country exits…way more inspiring then China who gives forced abortions on a daily routine killing millions of unborn babies, put a fully developed baby in a bucket or gorbage then sterilize these Moms without pain meds…completely damaged their lives, making the 1st child feel quilty for existing. OUTRAGOUS! Wrong and truely a lawless country. No matter how you twist your point defend China it is so wrong in so many levels unless you don’t have a heart.
@proven beyond a reasonable doubt!
First of all, you had better watch your mouth before you get banned? It is true that I am American born and raised so may not be 100% informed about China but I do know about the country, however, I admit that I do bit know everything about it but the one child policy has a lot of problems as many of us have seen. I have read quite a bit about it but of course I do not everything about it because it is nit my area of study. But all of a sudden you go in here and BS and attack me for no good reason. You really have nothing better to do and your views about the US and western countries are very wrong as well! Get out of the well before it is too late!
”Zhang is willing and able to provide and bring up more than a few kids of his own, so should Zhang be restricted in terms finance and wellbeing, is it People happiness or People Misfortune?”
HeTieShou, as far as I am aware the policy began in 1979. While China defiantly needs population control the one child policy has had mixed results. The policy of only allowing one child only affected about 30% of the population- ethnic Hans living in cities. Ethnic Hans in the countryside could have two children, while ethnic minorities could have 3 or 4. As a result of the policy China’s demographics have been really screwed up. The lack of girl’s for one. Secondly, what took a country like japan about 45 years to achieve, took China half the time-China has an ageing population. For example there are more people over the age of 60 in shanghai than there are under 20. It places a huge burden on a child to have to care for both parents and the State will certainly not be able to cope with the number of elderly who will need to be cared for. Child kidnapping is also a big problem. These reasons are probably why the one child policy has been relaxed, so that a parent who was an only child can have two children. The policy only really affected poor city Hans since those who can afford to, just pay the fine. Since twins don’t violate the one child policy there is an increasing number of people using IVF for the purpose of having twins or triplets.
@camey,
Thanks for the info! I did read about it back then but I not remember all of the details. But as we can see the one child policy has caused many problems and many are even coming to the US to give birth as well. One of the reasons is fir American citizenship too but of course only the wealthy can afford that.
What a stupid policy! I feel sorry for the babies left out on the streets. I’m sure there are worst cases out there.
China already has a population of a billion plus. If they didn’t have the one-child policy, think how much more crowded it would be, and the amount of resources needed to feed everyone. It was a sacrifice that had to be made.
I believe if you free these couples and let them develop their family they want, educate them towards the responsibilites and money go towards raising a child would make it eaiser instead of doing things by force. It spreaks a lot about of the Chinese gov’t.
That’s the danger of having “illegitimate” children. If the man (like ZYM) does not acknowledge them, they get nada. Wise-up, ladies!!!
No wonder that men from mainland couldn’t find wife.
Yea, that is one of the problems but yet men are still picky over finding a wife. There are also some leftover women as they call it too. I really wonder….
Eh men with no wives should marry to girls in India. They are lacking men! Mix Chinese Indian babies are usually very cute!
This highlights the government position on irresponsible/unaffordable breeding.
Michael Jackson would agree it seems:
If You Cant Feed Your Baby (Yeah, Yeah)
Then Don’t Have A Baby (Yeah, Yeah)
And Don’t Think Maybe (Yeah, Yeah)
If You Can’t Feed Your Baby (Yeah, Yeah)
You’ll Be Always Tryin’
To Stop That Child From Cryin’
Hustlin’, Stealin’, Lyin’
Now Baby’s Slowly Dyin’
7 children with other women.. of course he wouldn’t admit, that would cost him rmb160million x 8, better to give hard earned monies to own children than them greedy officials, btw, whatever is that rmb160million for? daylight bribery? u mean to tell me $$ can keep those people’s mouth shut? no dignity? sad to read this piece of article, good to tell the thruth, if tell lie, go hell, get brimstones in mouth..
best way to end one child policy is continuation of economic growth. rich countries like europe dont even want to have kids and they get paid by the govt to do so. most of the problems associated with the one child policy has to do with the poor, who favor sons and the involvement of shady people who gets paid to do abortions and so forth. imagine china as india if theres no such policy. last thing to add, people always forget that single child gets support from the govt but u never hear about this in western media.