Oct 7, 2014

Reuters photographer Carlos Barria photographed a person born in each year China’s One Child Policy has been in existence – from a man born in 1979, to a baby born in 2014 – and asked them if they would have like to have siblings.

China, the world’s most populous country with nearly 1.4 billion people, says the country’s one-child policy has averted 400 million births since 1980, saving scarce food resources and helping to pull families out of poverty. Couples violating the policy have had to pay a fine, or in some cases have been forced to undergo abortions. But late last year, China said it would allow millions of families to have two children, part of a plan to raise fertility rates and ease the financial burden on a rapidly aging population.

: Chen Xuejun, who was born in 1987, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 30, 2014. Xuejun said: “I want to have an older brother. We could play together and he would protect me.”

: Zhao Mengge, who was born in 1997, poses for a photograph in Shanghai September 6, 2014. “Yes I’d like to have sisters. Little sisters are not naughty and they are easier to look after,” said Mengge.

: Lv Mengmeng, who was born in 1995, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 22, 2014. When asked if she would like siblings, Mengmeng said: “Maybe brothers, because I think they could protect me.”

: Wang Yanrong, who was born in 1994, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 16, 2014. Yanrong said: “Yes, I would like to have a brother or a sister because that would be much more fun. There are times when you don’t know who to talk to and then it would be better if I had a sibling. I know a cousin who has a sibling and they have a very good relationship.”

: Huang Erbin, who was born in 1992, poses for a photograph in Shanghai July 31, 2014. When asked if she would like siblings Erbin said: “No, because of some financial reasons and another problem is I don’t want to share my parents’ love with other people.”

: Dai Chen, who was born in 1988, poses for a photograph in Shanghai July 23, 2014. Chen said: “I don’t want to have siblings because if I had a brother or a sister I would have to share. It would be difficult to get a good education.”

: Zhang Haoran, who was born in 1990, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 22, 2014. Haoran said: “Actually it would be a good thing to have brothers or sisters who are of similar age. Then some problems that arise in our adulthood might be solved [more easily]. For example, communication with peers, and also learning sharing, individualism.”

: Yang Zheng, who was born in 1996, poses for a photograph in Shanghai September 3, 2014. Zheng said: “I would like to have a big brother to teach me things, take me travelling and take care of me.”

: Zhu Wenjun, who was born in 1989, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 24, 2014. Wenjun said: “Of course I want to have a brother or a sister because being a single child is so lonely. I want to have someone to play with and grow up with.”

: Jiang Chencheng, who was born in 1993, poses for a photograph in Shanghai July 23, 2014. Chencheng said: “I wouldn’t like to have a brother or a sister because I would have to share the [family’s] financial [resources] with them and it would be very difficult for our parents to send them to good universities.”

: Zhang Bowen, who was born in 1985, poses for a photograph in Shanghai July 25, 2014. Bowen said: “I’d like to have a sister or a brother, because I would feel less lonely growing up.”

: Lu Da, who was born in 1986, poses for a photograph in Shanghai July 23, 2014. “If there is a chance I’d like to have brothers and sisters. On the one hand, during my growth it is a good thing to have a brother or a sister who has similar age around. For many things I could discuss with him or her. On the other hand when my parents get older I need to take the responsibility of taking care of them. If there are brothers or sisters at home things will be much easier.”

: Liu Yun, who was born in 1984, poses for a photograph in Shanghai July 29, 2014. Yun said: “I’m a single child. I don’t want to have any brother or sister. I have cousins, I would say we love each other and we have very good connections. So I never feel I need a brother or a sister.”

: Qin Wen, who was born in 1983, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 22, 2014. Wen said: “I think it’s good to have a brother or a sister.”

: Xu Yufang, who was born in 1982, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 22, 2014. Yufang said: “I longed to have a brother to protect me, because I’m alone.”

: Zhou Yu, who was born in 1981, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 28, 2014. “I wish I could have one brother because I am the only child in my family and while I do have lots of cousins, I’m the oldest one. So sometimes I wish I had an older brother to take care of me. Growing up, I think I missed having male role models,” said Yu.

: Huang Zheng, who was born in 1980, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 28, 2014. Zheng said: “Yes. Of course I’d like to have a brother or a sister, because I would have someone to live and study with. If possible, I’d like to have an older sister. It’s more appropriate and easier to communicate with a sister, rather than with your parents, when you’re faced with some problems. I’m not saying I feel lonely. It just would make life more colourful.”

: Cai Hua, who was born in 1979, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 30, 2014. Hua said: “I wish I had a sister. I prefer to have a sister rather than a brother. I have a lot of friends who have a brother and they usually fight with each other. I think it would be very funny but I would prefer to have a sister.”

: Jin Yanxi, who was born in 2014, poses for a photograph in Shanghai September 4, 2014.

: Huang Aiting, who was born in 2013, poses for a photograph in Shanghai July 26, 2014. Aiting did not say if he wanted to have siblings.

: Ma Chenxi, who was born in 2011, poses for a photographMa Chenxi, who was born in 2011, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 22, 2014. Chenxi did not say if he would like to have siblings. in Shanghai August 22, 2014. Chenxi did not say if he would like to have siblings. Reuters Photographer Carlos Barria photographed a person born in each year Chinaís one child policy has been in existence; from a man born in 1979, to a baby born in 2014, and asked them if they would have like to have siblings. China, the world’s most populous country with nearly 1.4 billion people, says the country’s one-child policy has averted 400 million births since 1980, saving scarce food resources and helping to pull families out of poverty. Couples violating the policy have had to pay a fine, or in some cases have been forced to undergo abortions. But late last year, China said it would allow millions of families to have two children, part of a plan to raise fertility rates and ease the financial burden on a rapidly ageing population. Picture taken August 22, 2014. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

: Xin Zhiteng, who was born in 2012, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 30, 2014. Zhiteng did not say if he would like to have siblings.

: Qin Wuyue, who was born in 2010, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 22, 2014. When asked if he would like to have siblings, Wuyue said: “No they’re noisy.”

: Only child Liu Ziyu, who was born in 2009, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 30, 2014. When asked if she would like to have siblings, Ziyu said that she didn’t want any “because my mother would pay full attention to him or her.”

: Only child Ding Zhongcheng, who was born in 2008, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 30, 2014. “I don’t want to have older brothers or sisters or younger ones either, because I don’t want them to mess up all the things in the house. If there was a chance that my mother could give birth to older siblings, then I would accept it,” Zhongcheng said.

: Liang Xiao, who was born in 2007, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 24, 2014. “I want a little sister because little brothers are naughty,” Xiao said.

: Liu Yuwei, who was born in 2006, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 16, 2014. Yuwei said she would like siblings “because I want to play with them.”

: Only child Qian Dingheng, who was born in 2005, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 30, 2014. “I don’t want [a sibling], because he would interrupt my homework,” Dingheng said.

: Yu Yan, who was born in 2004, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 24, 2014. “I want to have someone to play with,” said Yan.

: Only child Wang Qi’an, who was born in 2003, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 15, 2014. When asked if he would like to have siblings, Qi’an said: “No because I have investigated all my classmates who have brothers or sisters. None of them perform well in their studies.”

: Ding Tieru, who was born in 2002, poses for a photograph in Shanghai July 27, 2014. “I have a cousin. I’d like to have a brother. Because we would be able to play together. I want more friends. We would be able to help each other in our studies,” said Tieru.

: Dai Jingting, who was born in 2001, poses for a photograph in Shanghai September 20, 2014. Jingting said she would like siblings “because it would be boring for me to stay at home alone.”

: Zhu Diwen, who was born in 1999, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 22, 2014. Diwen said: “I have a cousin and I don’t want to have brothers and sisters.”

: Yao Jihan, who was born in 2000, poses for a photograph in Shanghai July 27, 2014. When asked if he would like siblings Jihan said: “No. I don’t know. Maybe, maybe, because it’s troublesome. If there is one more person in this house, the room will not be big enough to hold two children. I don’t feel lonely because I have a lot of friends.”

: Xiao Wenjin, who was born in 1991, poses for a photograph in Shanghai July 29, 2014. “I wish I had brothers and sisters because I think it’s interesting. I wouldn’t feel so lonely. We would have to share … I like to share,” said Wenjin.

: Zhang Xiaoying, who was born in 1998, poses for a photograph in Shanghai August 24, 2014. Xiaoying said, “Yes, because if I had a brother older than me, he could help me do many things, play with me.”

36 years of China’s one child policy

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