Hundreds of Chinese twins and triplets flocked to Beijing this week for a festival to celebrate multiple births in a country where the one child policy means siblings are a rare blessing for many young urbanites. Dressed in matching outfits, trios and matching couples ranging from babies to grandmas danced, sang, did calligraphy and joined in a huge domino rally. In some countries parents may fear the simultaneous arrival of multiple children, but in China they are lucky exceptions to strict family planning rules that limit many couples to one son or daughter unless both parents are themselves only children. Organizers said around 500-600 sets of twins and other multiples attended the annual Twins' Cultural Festival, the sixth of its kind to be held in Beijing. Middle-aged twin Yuan Dali said he and his brother Yuan Xiaoli wished every child in China could grow up knowing the companionship of siblings.
