Dongguan announced yesterday that it will give 1,000 yuan a month in assistance to parents who lost an only child, gdchinanews reported. The families are given the name 失独 shidu (literally “lost only”). The “Dongguan Shidu Families Assistance Act” will come into effect on January 1 and will be in effect until at least December 31 2018.

Dongguan Mayor Yuan Baocheng, courtesy of Google Images

The ancient expression 养子防老 （yangzifanglao） means “Raise a son to protect yourself in old age.” This expression encapsulates nicely a culture in which children are expected to support their parents in old age and may explain some of the thinking that has gone into the policy.

The man must be at least 49 and the woman must be at least 60 for a couple to qualify. Dongguan Mayor Yuan Baocheng said that the new measure, along with existing social security and health insurance policies, will provide a safety net for the ageing couples.