Celebrities and the rich are neglecting family-planning regulations. Their breaches of the country's stipulated birth quotas will undermine China's efforts in population control, an official has said.

Zhang Weiqing, minister of the National Population and Family Planning Commission, gave out the warning at a recent forum on population.

He said the fruits China has reaped in avoiding the overgrowth of its population may be offset through loosening of birth control measures in certain local areas and unlicensed births in rich families.

Illegal births will damage social equity, the minister said.

In addition, the baby boom brought by the parents born in late 1970s and early 1980s, who are the first generation after China established the birth control policy and allowed to have two babies each couple, also adds a great pressure, Zhang said.

Meanwhile, the administration is to work out more preferential policies for those families abiding the birth limits, he added.

(CRI May 6, 2007)