After months of hints, China announced on Friday 15th November that it will relax
its decades-long one-child policy and abolish labor camps in an effort to
improve human rights, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Officials had said earlier both controversial policies were
under review.
Even those who know little about China have likely heard
about its one-child policy. China's family planning laws require most families
living in urban areas to have one child.
The policy will be slightly relaxed so that couples will be
allowed to have two children if one of the parents was an only child, Xinhua
reported. Currently, both parents must be sole children to be eligible for a
second child.
The one-child policy, though applauded by many for slowing
down China's population growth, has been widely criticized for resulting in
forced abortions and hefty fines that are sometimes used to enforce it.
Some critics say the law hurts China's elderly, who
typically rely on their children for support in old age, and even constrains
economic growth as the working age population begins to decline.
"Since the policy now allows it, I will definitely have
a second child," one 25-year-old woman in Beijing said. "It's too
lonely for a single child."
"When I get married, I would prefer having two children
as I'm the only child in my family. My childhood was a bit boring," another man said.
A third commuter also praised the changes: "It's a
great new policy. Raising three kids is a bit stressful, but two are just
perfect."
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