Forced abortion in China: how it works

The Economist's illustration
The latest version of The Economist magazine has a fascinating insight into how China's system of forced abortion is managed, entitled: "Suppressing dissent: The emperor does know" and subtitled "How the system rewards repression, in the name of maintaining stability". The article says:
"[U]nder the Communist Party’s system of cadre evaluations, local officials are graded on the basis of a series of internal targets that have little to do with the rule of law. The targets are meant for internal use, but local governments have sometimes published them on websites, and foreign scholars have also seen copies. The most important measures are maintaining social stability, achieving economic growth and, in many areas, enforcing population controls. Cadres sign contracts that spell out their responsibilities. Failure to meet targets can end a cadre’s career. Fulfilling them, even if it means trampling laws to do so, can mean career advancement and financial bonuses."
The Economist's insight confirms what SPUC pointed out ten years ago almost to the day:
"Chinese officials [have] admitted that even they themselves are often coerced to meet birth control quotas ... The system of punishments for local political and family planning leaders who fail to fulfill their state-assigned targets is still official policy."
It is important for anyone concerned with the brutal anti-life nature of the one-child policy to read The Economist's article to understand how the system is enforced. What the strongly pro-abortion Economist doesn't point out, however, is that the China Family Planning Association, the state-run body responsible for ensuring the policy's implementation, is a member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), the world's largest pro-abortion organisation (see section 27 of SPUC's 2005 submission to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee). The UK government and other Western governments give millions of pounds annually to IPPF.

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Must-read pro-life news-stories, Tue 15 May

Clock showing Japanese population decline
Top stories:

Repeat abortions figures are disturbing and reveal flouting of law, says SPUC
Figures which show a high incidence of multiple repeat abortions in England and Wales [Mail, 14 May] are deeply disturbing and underline how the Abortion Act is being systematically abused across the country, says SPUC. Paul Tully, SPUC’s general secretary, said: "The figures indicate wide differences around the country for repeat abortions, but regional and local variations also suggest that in many areas abortion is being used unlawfully to try to cut the birth-rate among minority and low-income groups more likely to claim benefits." [SPUC, 14 May]

Cambridge students targeted by firm offering £750 to egg donors
A company has leafleted thousands of students at Cambridge university, offering them £750 to 'donate' their eggs. [Mail, 13 May] Anthony Ozimic, SPUC's communications manager, told the media yesterday that: "Such advertising represents an unacceptable commodification of procreation, violating international norms against the commercialisation of the human body, its tissues and organs. It exploits cash-strapped students at a formative time (late teens/early 20s) in their adult development and in their values, hopes and feelings about parenthood. And it serves the vested interests of the IVF industry, which puts profits and kudos above the welfare of patients." [John Smeaton, 13 May]

Other stories:
Embryology
  • London IVF clinic makes £25 million annual profit [Mail, 14 May]
  • MPs demand inquiry into risks of most popular IVF after it has been linked with higher risks of birth defects [Mail, 13 May]
  • Geneticist claims that weeding out embryos with severe genetic abnormalities is ‘a tremendous blessing and a wonderful thing’ [Peter Saunders, 13 May]
  • 'Biological Clock' cannot be rewound [Pat Buckley, 11 May]
  • Storm as Law Society bans conference debating gay marriage [Telegraph, 11 May]
Population
  • Falling birth rates (pictured) mean Japan 'won't have any children under 15 by 3011' [Mail, 14 May]
Sexual ethics
  • Church of Ireland synod passes resolution against gay marriage [Pink News, 14 May]
General
  • Young, 'universal' turnout for Rome's first-ever March for Life [CNA, 13 May]
  • Canadian March for Life smashes previous attendance records [LifeSiteNews.com, 10 May]
Comments on this blog? Email them to johnsmeaton@spuc.org.uk
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Please support SPUC. Please donate, join, and/or leave a legacy