China to abolish one-child policy

The Chinese government said it would abolish its one-child policy for couples, a report indicated on Thursday.
The decision emanated from a meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Communist Party, in Beijing, the report said.

‘’In future, all couples will be allowed to have two children,’’ it said.

The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences had earlier suggested a two-child solution to the problem of ageing population and a falling birth rate.

On average, Chinese women give birth to one child but a birth rate of 2 children is needed for a stable population.

The one-child policy was introduced in the 1970s to prevent a population explosion in the country.

The restrictive policy had limited most urban families to one child for decades.

According to estimates, without the one-child policy, China‘s current 1.3 billion population would have increased with about 300 million people.

Culled from Premium Times, 28th October, 2015