File photo of people at an Internet cafe in Hefei, Anhui Province, Sept. 15, 2011. (Photo : Reuters)
Anhui Province has formulated a new law aimed at preventing adult children from depending on their unwilling parents for endless fiscal support.
Children who depend on their parents' saving to enjoy a luxurious and carefree lifestyle in China are called Kenlaozu, a word translated as "people who devour the elderly."
According to China Daily, the Anhui regulation, which was introduced by the provincial people's congress, will be effected in March.
The regulation states, "Adults who are able to live on their own should not ask for financial support from their parents if the latter are not willing to give it."
The policy also prohibits people from asking the elderly to do physical activities that they are unable to undertake or that are bad for their health.
Authorities in the province expect the new law to enhance elderly lives, but experts and locals fear that the law may be difficult to enforce.
A 77-year-old farmer, Zhu Zhengwei pointed out that he and his wife cannot rely on a regulation to protects their interests, even when their son asks too much from them.
In 2002, Zhu's youngest son, who was 26 by then, was almost getting married and insisted that his parents give him 90,000 yuan (then worth $10,840) to purchase an apartment in the city. Zhu, who had farmed for many years in Changfeng County, Hefei, was compelled to borrow some money from relatives and friends to add on his savings. It took him more than half a decade to repay the loans.
On the other hand, Tang Jun, a social policy expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the issue of adult children relying on their parents falls under ethics more than the law, because under current policies people can dispose of their money and property the way they wish.
