Li Shuchun, 4, and his 7-month-old brother Li Shuhan, live in Beijing with their parents who are among the 1.07 million out of 11 million eligible couples applied to have a second child by the end of last year. [Photo by Wang Nina/Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

By the end of last year, China had 915.8 million workforce-age people from 16 to 59, which was a decline of 3.71 million from the previous year and the third decline in a row.

Lu Jiehua, a professor of social sciences at Peking University, warned that the nation would become a "super aging society" by 2035, when two working people will support one elderly resident and economic growth would be seriously affected due to labor shortages.

"With full recognition of the sheer challenge, China will in one or two years allow all couples to have a second child," he said.

Chen Jian, former information department director of the top population authority and a population scientist, agreed and projected a change even sooner. "I think we'll see that next year," he said.

Both of them agreed that policy relaxation would help China slow its aging trend, but it's hard to change people's perception of reproduction.

More people nowadays prefer small families, said Lu. Other factors such as finances, housing, education and age are also involved in making birth plans.

Official statistics show that only 1.07 million out of the 11 million eligible couples applied to have a second child by the end of last year.

The idea of more children is more popular in western China and small cities than in coastal regions and large cities.

shanjuan@chinadaily.com.cn