China to relax one-child policy and abolish labour camps
Communist Party of China announces major reforms that will allow parents to have another child if one parent is an only child
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.China will ease its family planning policies and abolish a controversial labour camp system, in a series of major reforms announced on Friday by the ruling Communist Party of China.
The policy changes were announced in a document following a four day meeting of party leaders in Beijing.
The landmark reforms will allow a couple to have two children if one of the parents is an only child, as part of an adjustment of the birth policy to promote “long-term balanced development of the population in China”, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
Previously, a couple cold have a second child if both parents were only children.
The one-child policy was first introduced in 1970 in a bid to restrain the rapidly growing population and limited most couples living in urban areas to one child.
The reform package will also see China abolish the labour camp system, which it calls re-education through labour, and reduce the number of crimes subject to the death penalty “step by step”, Xinhua added.
They also promise "improved supervision" to ensure all are treated equally before the law and a crack down on internet crime.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments