The Chinese government on Thursday announced the end of its notorious "one-child" policy, in existence since the late 1970s, and allow Chinese parents to have two kids.
This might seem like a rare victory for human rights in a country where reproductive freedoms have long been restricted, and it is. But the government has a more practical outcome in mind. China's population of working-age adults started shrinking in 2012, and by 2050 there will be fewer than 1.6 workers for every retiree, according to a 2013 report from the Paulson Institute. That's comparable to aging, slow-growth countries like Japan and Singapore. In response, the regime is hoping to spark a baby boom.
Unfortunately, by this point, even a two-child policy may be too little, too late. Most Chinese outside the big cities can already have two, and sometimes more, children. Meanwhile, a recent, limited opening in several cities failed to turn up many urban couples interested in having a second child.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.