An old poster with a new family planning slogan is found on the Web. XINHUA

Today, people are China's most needed resource. While getting wealthier, the world's most populous country is also aging, with 220 million people aged 60 or older.

Premier Li Keqiang, in his Government Work Report, noted that China has a labor force of 900 million, including 100 million who have received higher education or are professionally trained. "This is our greatest resource and strength," he said.

Ironically, Chinese are now less inclined to take on the costs of more children.

Last year, births numbered 16.55 million, a drop of 320,000 from 2014, accounting for just 12 percent of the world's newborns. Demographic experts predict that the second-child policy will result in only 3 million more babies every year.