The only exceptions are the minority indigenous people in China and remarried couples. With a population of over 1.2 billion, the Chinese view this as a practical policy. Abortions are state-funded but not mandatory. It also means these children will not have siblings or cousins to play with. These are realistic concerns, but for the most part, children do seem very well-behaved because they know it is expected of them.
Grandparents tend to play a strong care-giving role, especially if both parents work.
The coastal cities have been and will continue to be relatively prosperous, but it will take a huge shift in thinking and policy to bring the rest of the 900 million rural residents along, many of whom are living in poverty. From a Western perspective, China has a troubling record on human rights, lack of freedoms, and even espionage and weapons proliferation. There is certainly disagreement over what this should mean for the United States - constructive engagement or a severing of ties. Some experts believe progress can only be achieved by keeping a conversation going with China and continuing to negotiate. Others believe China is a Communist regime that is not worthy of this effort and should be ignored for now.