China Ends Three Decades of One-Child Policy

On Thursday, November 7, the Communist Party of China announced that couples in the country will now be allowed to have two children, effectively ending the one-child policy after three decades. According to the Associated Press, this decision marks the end of one of the ruling party's intrusive policies in the family lives of Chinese citizens, which had been gradually relaxed in recent years. The one-child policy, due to families' traditional preference for male children, has led to a significant imbalance in the number of women and men, and its strict enforcement has sometimes resulted in forced abortions. In a statement released by the Chinese state news agency, it was stated that allowing families to have two children aims to 'improve the balance in population growth' and address the aging population of the country. Xinhua News Agency added that these regulations must be approved by the country's legislative body before implementation, which is essentially a formality. However, no timeline for the approval and implementation of these new regulations was announced. This move may not lead to an increase in birth rates, as some experts believe that even without strict enforcement of the one-child policy, fertility rates in China have sharply declined in recent years. Previous relaxations of the one-child policy did not significantly increase birth rates, and many young couples in China prefer smaller families. However, some people in China view this policy change as a sign of respect from the ruling party and government for the choices and decisions of the people. The statement from the Communist Party of China was released following a meeting regarding the country's economic and social development for the next decade. In recent years, these meetings have typically concluded without making significant decisions. Their main focus has been on the country's economic issues, and it seemed unlikely that a major decision regarding the one-child policy would be made. China, with a population of over 1.4 billion, is the most populous country in the world and implemented the one-child policy in 1979 initially as a temporary measure to control population growth and reduce demand for water and other resources. Shortly after its implementation, families in rural areas were allowed to have a second child if their first child was a girl. Ethnic minorities were also exempt from these regulations. Families that preferred to have a son often resorted to aborting female fetuses, leading to a significant disparity in the number of boys born compared to girls in recent decades. This has resulted in some men being unable to find wives, and it is reported that women from abroad are trafficked into China for the purpose of marrying Chinese men. Families that violated the one-child policy faced financial penalties based on their income. Some rural families lost part of their property and even livestock to pay these fines. The Communist Party of China announced in November 2013 that if one parent was an only child, that couple would be allowed to have two children. This was the first significant adjustment to the one-child policy after three decades. According to Thursday's decision, all other barriers to having two children will be lifted. The Chinese government claims that the implementation of the one-child policy has prevented approximately 400 million births and population growth, and by reducing pressure on the country's resources, it has helped many families escape poverty. However, many population experts believe that even without this policy, the simultaneous economic development and increased levels of education would have naturally reduced China's population growth rate. Additionally, the sharp and sudden decline in population growth over the past three decades has led to an increase in the average age of the population, and demographic experts predict that with the decrease in the number of young workers, meeting the needs and costs of the elderly and retired generation will soon become a major problem for China.