What they say

"The relaxed family planning policy will have a positive effect in terms of solving recruitment problems for labor-intensive companies in the next two decades. The policy will probably lead to a rise in pregnancies among married female employees, but it won't bring any dramatic changes to my business. Female employees can have maternity leave accordingly, because we are no longer facing high recruitment pressures under worsening trading conditions."

Xia Guangyao, chairman of Wenzhou Jialunte Textile Finery Co in Zhejiang province

"Two of the women I took care of this year gave birth to their second child. The maternity matron sector, and similarly, postnatal care centers, will see a major boom as the new family planning policy is rolled out. A maternity matron can earn as much as 14,000 yuan ($2,215) a month now, and I believe the salary will continue to rise because of the high demand."