China has 1.2 billion people or 21 percent of the world s population but only 7-10 percent of the land suitable for cultivation. From a socio-economic standpoint, China will continue to struggle to meet the needs of their growing population in this decade and well beyond. Add to this element of population growth the historical significance of cultural bias and the situation becomes even more difficult. For thousands of years, Chinese cultural traditions have dictated that every family must have a son or risk dishonoring their ancestors. The birth of a son is celebrated with fireworks but the birth of a girl is not acknowledged.
Boys also represent the social security for aging parents.
Sons are obligated to provide for the parents when they can no longer provide for themselves. Girls, on the other hand, are seen as temporary, since they will eventually marry and move away to take care of a husband and his family. With the new generations of Chinese, these cultural biases are changing, but ever so slowly. Abandoning a child is illegal in China and carries a stiff penalty if discovered. Some parents, however, are willing to take the risk because they do not want to waste their only chance of a child on a girl.