China to finally change 'one child policy'

The Chinese government had been rethinking about its strict one-child policy and has reportedly decided to finally ease it out, allowing families to have two children.

The change in rules state that couple in which one parent is a single child will now be able to have a second child.

According to News24, the plan to change the strict policy was envisioned by the government about five years ago as officials worried that the strict controls were undermining economic growth and contributing to a rapidly ageing population the country had no hope of supporting financially.

In a bid to control the overpopulation, this policy was introduced in the late 1970s, but now a growing number of scholars and experts regard it as outdated and harmful to the economy.

A sociology professor at Fudan University specialising in China's demographics, Wang Feng said that the announcement is one of the most urgent policy changes awaited for years, and could also lead to a very speedy abolishment of the one-child policy.

Currently, urban couples are permitted a second child if both parents do not have siblings and rural couples are allowed to have two children if their first-born is a girl and any couple found violating the policy, is required to pay hefty fine.