China to advocate 'one couple, two children' policy
Chinese lawmakers are considering amending the family planning law to allow couples to have two children amidst efforts to counter shrinkage of the work force and an ageing population. “The State advocates that one couple can give birth to two children ,” Xinhua cited a draft amendment submitted for review at the bi-monthly session of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee which opened on Monday. The draft came after the Communist Party of China’s (CPC) Central Committee decided in October, to give the go ahead for the universal two-child rule, which will replace the decade-long “one couple, one child” policy. Li Bin, head of the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC), said the CPC’s decision was made to adapt to the transition of China’s population from young to old currently underway. In order to implement the decision, the top legislature must amend the family planning law which took effect in 2002. Under the current law, citizens who ...