Authorities are extending mandatory birth control to the far northwest's ethnic minorities, but they will be allowed more children than majority Hans, an official report said Sunday. As of July 1, minority couples in cities of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region will be limited to two children, and those in rural areas will be permitted three, the Xinhua News Agency said. Minority ethnic groups in Xinjiang total 8.6 million, or more than 61 percent of the population, the report said. Most Hans or ethnic Chinese, who make up more than 90 percent of China's 1 billion people, are limited to one child with the country struggling to feed and educate its spiraling population. However, the policy has been more relaxed toward China's 56 ethnic minority groups. The different standard toward minorities has been designed in part to win their loyalty to the Han-controlled government and allay their fears of being overwhelmed by ethnic Chinese.
