China eases one-child policy, does away with labor camps

China Saturday formally adopted a reform of its one-child policy to allow couples to have two children if either parent is an only child, state media reported.

Zee Media Bureau
Beijing: More than three decades after it enacted one-child policy to rein in its burgeoning population, China adopted a reform that would allow the parents to have two children if one of them is an only child, said a report.

A report by state media agency Xinhua urged "long-term balanced development of the population in China” saying, "More attention also needs to be paid to employment, income levels, social security and people`s health".

The resolution was passed by the Standing Committee of the National People`s Congress after a six day meeting, reports said.

China`s top legislature also abolished “re-education through labour” camps, or "laojiao" system.
China, which is the world`s most populous country with 1.35 billion people, had passed the one-child law in 1979 to control the mushrooming population. ccording to that policy, a couple could have a second child only if both parents were only children. However the policy was said to have hit the growth and cause socio-economic and cultural challenges.

By 2050, I/4th of the Chinese population would be above 65, reported an international news site.

This also caused problems like elderly parents suffering in their old age. To counter this, China had this July passed a law made it mandatory for the offsprings of parents older than 60 to pay frequent visits to their parents and give them financial support.