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Chinese MPs adopt amendment allowing families to have up to three children

The Chinese government will introduce financial, tax, insurance, educational and housing benefits for young families with children, and reduce parental costs for the birth and upbringing of the young generation as well as educational services

BEIJING, August 20 / TASS /. The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (parliament) on Friday passed amendments to the Population and Family Planning Law, legally allowing Chinese families to have up to three children, the Xinhua News Agency stated on Friday.

The new version of the law suggests that the government will begin promoting marriage and motherhood at a young age. Furthermore, the Chinese government will introduce financial, tax, insurance, educational and housing benefits for young families with children, and reduce parental costs for the birth and upbringing of the young generation as well as educational services.

China’s government will also encourage local authorities and employers to provide additional leave for workers who are raising small children.

In May 2021, the Politburo of the Central Committee of China’s Communist Party decided to allow families to have three children. In July, the State Council of China cancelled the relevant fines and also announced plans to provide affordable housing to young families as well as a tax deduction for the cost of supporting children under three years old.

Birth control

Since the mid-1970s, China has pursued a tough policy of limiting the birth rate. With a few exceptions, families were only allowed to have one child. However, amid the rapid aging of the country's population caused by the decline in the birth rate, the Chinese authorities from 2008 to 2009 let married couples have two children if both spouses were the only children of their parents. On January 1, 2016, a law allowing all Chinese families to have two children came into force.

In late 2020, China’s population hit 1.4 bln people, while the share of citizens aged over 60 reached 18.7%. In the same year, the country registered about 10 mln births, a record low since 1949. According to Chinese demographers, if the current trend remains unchanged, then by 2050 China will have about 487 mln people aged over 60. In other words, the elderly will make up 35% of the country's 1.4 bln population.

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