Postage stamp with three children gives Chinese hope

beijing - The hearts of Chinese with a desire to have a child have started to beat a bit faster this week. And that's because of a New Year's seal. From the image, they are hoping that they may have more children, reports The Times and the Wall Street Journal.

On 5 February next year the Year of the Pig starts. To celebrate that, the Chinese state mail company had special stamps made, which were unveiled this week. On one of them is a happy pig family to see: father, mother and three piglets.

According to the designer of the stamp, it is only a question of appearance: three piglets are better on the plate than two. He has nothing to do with politics. But Sino-American scientist Yi Fuxian does not believe that.

'The stamp is the national business card. It shows the policy of the country. Two adult pigs, three piglets, a clear sign of a new phase for the Chinese birth policy. They do not want to limit births, but rather encourage them. '

China had a one-child policy for years. To prevent overcrowding, parents were allowed to have one child. Those who had more children risked a fine. This led to an aging population: because fewer children were born, there were relatively more elderly people.

The children who did come into the world had to take care of them in the long run. Moreover, daughters were aborted more often, as a result of which China now has a male surplus. That is why the policy was relaxed little by little.

In 2016, China switched to a two-child policy. A year earlier, China had a special New Year stamp with two baby monkeys made for the Year of the Monkey. According to some, this was a disguised message, and from that they gained the hope that the pig stamp is the beginning of a new reform.