This study explores our hypothesis that the fertility of Chinese women, which was kept low by the one-child policy implemented in the People's Republic of China in 1979, is likely to bounce back to a higher level once these women emigrate. We test this hypothesis with data from the 1990 U.S. Census of Population 5% Public Use Microdata Samples. Using least squares regression analysis, we find evidence supporting our hypothesis. Our findings indicate that, other things being equal, women from the People's Republic of China have a significantly lower average number of children than Chinese women from other countries. The fertility difference between the two groups of women reverses direction, however, when we shift our focus to the average number of U.S. births. Women from the People's Republic of China are able to surpass their counterparts in postmigration births due to their accelerating U.S. fertility rate. These findings corroborate theories of social behavior that suggest that rational individuals adjust their fertility levels when external circumstances affect fertility change.

China Family planning Fertility Chinese emigrants U.S. immigration Population policy

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