China abolishes two-child policy, allows three children per couple
Story highlights
China introduced the one-child policy in the late 1970s in a dramatic effort to slow rapid population growth, before reversing it in 2016 to allow families to have two children as fears grew about the country's fast-ageing population and shrinking workforce.
The Chinese government has loosened birth restrictions for its citizen and allowed couples to have a third child in a bid to improve dwindling fertility rates and stop its workforce from declining.
China introduced the one-child policy in the late 1970s in a dramatic effort to slow rapid population growth, before reversing it in 2016 to allow families to have two children as fears grew about the country's fast-ageing population and shrinking workforce.
But the change has not yet resulted in a baby boom, with empowered Chinese women often delaying or avoiding childbirth and young couples blaming rising costs and insufficient policy support for families.
Many Chinese couples weren’t convinced that two were better than one, childbirths in 2019 fell to the lowest level in almost six decades.
WATCH|
Chinese state media had hinted in last a few weeks that China, the world`s most populous nation, may be preparing to end its decades-long policy of determining the number of children that couples can have.
Three offices responsible for grassroots implementation of family planning policies have been removed from the new structure of China`s National Health Commission, according to an announcement from the commission.
Instead, a new office for "population monitoring and family development" will be responsible for "improving birth policy and to organise implementation, and to establish and improve the system of extraordinary family assistance for family planning."
(With inputs from agencies)