China's new two-child policy has evoked a poor response from young couples as they are reluctant to have a second child due to the high cost of living, an official survey has found.


The survey, conducted by state-run China Youth Daily among 3,000 people, more than half of them women, found that although 46 per cent of the respondents expressed a willingness to have a second child, 52 per cent said they are worried that having one more child would reduce the standard of living they now enjoy.


The unenthusiastic response from public after vigorous implementation of the controversial one child policy is regarded as set back for China's plans to arrest its demographic crisis and create a big pool of labour force in the next few decades. People are vocal in expressing reluctance to have a second child and the policy has also evoked poor response.