Family planning rules eased in Hubei Province

By Li Xinran  |   2008-12-31  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

ELIGIBLE parents in Hubei Province will soon be free to have a second child when they like, as the government has lifted a rule about compulsory intervals.

The new rules on population and family planning in Hubei have abolished a four-year compulsory interval between the first and second child. The new rule will come into force on March 1.

Eligible spouses, such as those who are both only children or returned overseas Chinese, may have their second child after being granted a license, according to the new rule.

The rule also says state cadres bearing unauthorized children or those involved in child-bearing bigamy or bearing children with others after marrying will be dismissed.

The former regulation only punished violators with a three-year suspension on job promotion and some other lighter administrative penalties.

A similar policy has been carried out in Zhejiang since last year.

Family planning policy has been eased in some provinces because China will see a steady decrease in the working-age population over the next few decades, as the population ages.

China's current family planning policy limits most urban couples to one child and most rural couples to two.

For most families, a second child is allowed only if the first one is confirmed to be disabled or both the husband and wife are only children. Violators of the family planning policy face a fine of at least four times the local average annual income.