Justin Jin, China/Belgium

China: the high-achieving child

For decades, the Chinese state propagated a one-child policy to curb population growth and poverty. When it became clear that this would lead to an aging society and a shortage of women, because mainly female embryos were being aborted, this policy was changed completely. Since 2021, the rule has been that every married couple should have three children if possible. There is only one problem: the new Chinese middle class, in particular, does not necessarily want more than one child. Two trends are responsible for this, especially in urban milieus characterized by professional advancement: the prioritization of professional careers and the high cost of childcare, which ambitious parents strive for from the moment a baby is born.

Hong Kong-born photographer Justin Jin documents this change that is mostly taking place in the cities. His images show, for example, professional nannies providing luxurious care to newborns whose mothers want to return to work as quickly as possible. His photo series is also about the competition among parents to let their children shine in extracurricular fields. Or about those couples in high positions for whom children are generally too expensive, and who would rather have dogs than children. Childhood in China: it certainly looks very different in rural areas. In the big metropolises, however, it is increasingly under the control of new norms; everything revolves around turning children into high achievers.

Photographer: Justin Jin, China/Belgium

Born in Hong Kong in 1974, Justin Jin studied philosophy and social sciences at Cambridge University. He started his career as a Reuters text correspondent in London and Beijing, and soon embarked on an independent career as a documentary photographer and writer.

Today, Justin is commissioned by international media such as the New York Times, National Geographic, GEO, and many others. Jin, who now lives in Brussels, has received several awards; his photo series have been exhibited internationally, including at the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam and the Visa pour l’Image festival in France.