Gentler reminders to replace ugliness (2)

To avoid triggering widespread aversion, China has moved to replace these old-fashioned slogans with ones focusing on the population-related challenges, including gender imbalance, aging populace and unhealthy births, the People's Daily said.

For every 100 girls born in 2010, 118 boys were born, Li said. It is estimated that around 30 million to 40 million adult men will have a hard time finding wives by 2020.

So the nation promotes: "Caring for the girl means caring for the future of the nation."

Currently, 13.26 percent of China's population is aged 60 or above. The percentage is expected to hit one-third, or 440 million people, by 2050, according to Li.

To address this, the new slogan goes: "Old people from the one-child families can get the allowances after they are 60 years old," according to the People's Daily.

To avoid the births of defective babies, the nation says: "Please cure your illness before you plan to be a mother. Please get rid of the alcohol and cigarettes before you plan to be a father."

Though the slogans change, China will still adhere to its family policy, Li said.

China's new policy allows couples who themselves are both only children to have a second child. But for other couples, they are still allowed to have only one child.