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China launches 'one-plus one'

Updated on: 30 October,2015 02:12 AM IST  | 
Agencies |

After 35 years, China scraps one-child policy; controversial norm had forced abortions and was criticised by activists

China launches 'one-plus one'

Beijing: Grappling with a major demographic crisis and an economic slowdown, China’s ruling Communist Party yesterday scrapped its controversial three decade-long one-child policy, allowing all couples in the world’s most populous nation to have two children.


“China abandons one-child policy,” Xinhua, China’s official news agency, said on Twitter, citing a communique issued by the Communist Party of China (CPC), relaxing the rigid policy by permitting all couples to have upto two children in a move that can have huge implications globally.


Age-old issues
The announcement comes at the end of the four-day plenary session of the CPC headed by President Xi Jinping amid growing concerns of rising numbers of the aged, as well as concerns over  a declining labour force, putting the world’s second largest economy under strain. The change of the policy is intended to balance population development and address the challenge of an ageing population, the CPC communique said.


Awaiting formal approval
The proposal is to be approved by the rubber stamp legislature, the National People’s Congress (NPC), before it is implemented. The party — that met to finalise the 13th five-year plan — decided to permit all couples to have two children.
According to last year’s official report, China had about 185 million people above the age of 60, or 13.7% of the population and the numbers were expected to surge to 221 million this year, including 51 million “empty nesters” or elderly people whose children no longer live with them.

Controversial policy
This is the first time China has done away with its one-child policy in over three-and-a-half decades. The policy was
considered controversial, as it forced many abortions and continued to be criticised by rights groups and activists. The announcement comes amid slowdown of China’s economy that has plunged below the 7% figure for the first time since the 2009 global economic crisis.  

51million
The number of ‘empty nesters’ or or elderly people whose children no longer live with them

Sept 30, 1980 The day on which the policy was formally instituted

1.36 Billion The population of China according to the 2013 census

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