Contrary to popular belief, this so-called "one child policy" isn't really a one child per person sort of policy at all. Family planing advocates delayed marriage and child bearing, fewer and healthier births, and one child per couple in the extremely urbanized areas, such as Beijing and Shanghai. A couple in agricultural and pastoral areas may have a second child, and an even more flexible policy is held for farmers and herdsmen with difficulties such as a shortage of labor power. In such areas that are inhabited by a small population of ethnic minorities, there are no restrictions at all. There are also no specific requirements in Tibet for family planning. So in reality, the "one child policy" really applies to only the already densely populated coastal areas.
Details on the importance of birth control in the policy.
