With the largest population on earth, China has many mouths to feed and many elderly to take care of. Adding to the challenge is the fact that China's population is aging fast. The government relaxed its one-child policy in 2016 to allow families to have two kids each, but not everyone's excited. Last year, CGTN's Liu Yang spoke to two women in the city of Chengdu with different views on having a second child.

This baby girl was born five days ago. She's one of the millions of Chinese babies born this year with older siblings. In a few hours, she is waiting to be brought back home to meet her six-year-old sister, who is old enough to give her mother a helping hand taking care of the newborn. Xu Chunmei says having a second child has always been her dream.

XU CHUNMEI MOTHER OF TWO "I am from the first generation of children born during the one-child policy in the 80s. My parents both have many siblings, and I felt good about that, so when the second child policy was announced, I decided to have another baby. I want my children to feel what I felt - the affection of a big family."

The second-child policy was implemented in response to the country's graying population and other social issues. The new approach ended China's one-child policy, which was put in place to slow the nation's population growth.

LIN YONGHONG, VICE PRESIDENT CHENGDU WOMEN AND CHILDREN'S CENTRAL HOSPITAL "From the point of view of gynecology, one concerning issue related to the two-children policy is the age of the pregnant women. This can pose problems and risks for the pregnancy; especially if women with scarred uteruses become pregnant. We have taken a variety of considerations to take into account for prenatal screening and diagnosis, as well as paying attention to medical complications and other factors."

LIU YANG SICHUAN PROVINCE Experts say 60 percent of women eligible for a second child are at least 35 years of age. They also say that at least 3 million women of this age will fall pregnant between 2017 and 2020. However, this has also resulted in an increased risk of birth defects. It's one of the reasons many of these older women have given up the idea of having a second child. However, there are some who simply do not want another child.

Zhang Yu had wanted two children. But that changed after she had her first child. Raising one kid is harder than expected, the mounting pressure of raising a child has forced her family to face reality, she realizes now. So a second will have to wait.

ZHANG YU MOTHER OF ONE "As my parents are aging, they are beginning to lack energy, and it would not be possible for them to take care of another child. If I gave up work to take care of my child, I am afraid that I would lose touch with society, and financially, if our family depended solely on my husband's income, he would be under a lot of pressure. I also don't want to be a full-time mother. So gradually, the notion of having the second child has gone."

Local authorities say they have implemented various policies in support of the new approach.

ZHAO LIANG, DEPUTY CHIEF HEALTH AND FAMILY PLANNING COMMISSION OF SICHUAN "We opened consultation clinics for those with second children. These clinics mainly provide services including maternal care, and the termination of contraception services. We strengthened the management of maternal classification and emergency obstetric care. We have also established a four-level emergency mechanism, from the township to the provincial level."

Experts say the birth rate can rise further if incentives are offered to those who plan to have second children. For instance, working dads in Jiangsu Province are now allowed to take an entire month's worth of paternity leave or double the amount in other provinces. Countries with aging populations like Japan have also offered cash subsidies, longer maternity breaks, tax perks, and health benefits to help boost the population.

CHEN YONG, PROFESSOR INSTITUTE OF POPULATION RESEARCH, SICHUAN UNIVERSITY "This is a comprehensive problem. In the long run, alleviating the population imbalance will, to a certain extent, solve the aging population pressure. It will come into effect in the long run. From the perspective of the labor force, we won't see much change."

The UN says China is aging more rapidly than almost any country in recent history. A new study showed population aging could peak by 2070. Experts believe the second-child policy will produce a good result for China's future. An imprint of the foot of Xu's new baby girl is on a baby book in red ink as a reminder of her birth and the joy it brought. So are millions of other Chinese parents who pin their hope on their children, a simple wish from a Chinese traditional family to have a big and prosperous family. Liu Yang, CGTN, Sichuan Province.