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| China two-child policy not valid until March, government says | China two-child policy not valid until March, government says |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| China's top family planning body has warned couples that they must continue to obey the country's one-child policy until the law changes in March. | China's top family planning body has warned couples that they must continue to obey the country's one-child policy until the law changes in March. |
| On Thursday, the government announced it would relax the rules to allow all couples to have two children. | On Thursday, the government announced it would relax the rules to allow all couples to have two children. |
| It said the decision was made because of China's rapidly ageing population and to help support the economy. | It said the decision was made because of China's rapidly ageing population and to help support the economy. |
| However, officials have stressed that the one-child policy will continue to be enforced until the law is changed. | However, officials have stressed that the one-child policy will continue to be enforced until the law is changed. |
| China's controversial one-child policy was introduced nationally in 1979 to slow the population growth rate, and is estimated to have prevented about 400 million births. | China's controversial one-child policy was introduced nationally in 1979 to slow the population growth rate, and is estimated to have prevented about 400 million births. |
| Though there were exceptions to the policy, most couples who violated it faced punishment, from fines and the loss of employment to forced abortions. | Though there were exceptions to the policy, most couples who violated it faced punishment, from fines and the loss of employment to forced abortions. |
| On Friday, a local official was quoted as saying that women pregnant with a second child would no longer be punished, suggesting that the new policy was already effective. | |
| More on China's one-child policy: | More on China's one-child policy: |
| Will the policy affect China's single mothers? | Will the policy affect China's single mothers? |
| Growing up alone | Growing up alone |
| Five figures that sum up the policy | Five figures that sum up the policy |
| Trauma and sympathy | Trauma and sympathy |
| Your stories | Your stories |
| However, on Sunday, the National Health and Family Planning Commission said that local officials should continue to implement existing family planning laws until the two-child policy was ratified by lawmakers in March. | However, on Sunday, the National Health and Family Planning Commission said that local officials should continue to implement existing family planning laws until the two-child policy was ratified by lawmakers in March. |
| "The two-child policy must be implemented in accordance with the law," an official with the commission said in a statement (in Chinese). | "The two-child policy must be implemented in accordance with the law," an official with the commission said in a statement (in Chinese). |
| Until the new law was adopted, local officials "must seriously enforce existing policies" and "must not act of their own accord", the statement added. | Until the new law was adopted, local officials "must seriously enforce existing policies" and "must not act of their own accord", the statement added. |
| The government estimates that 90 million couples will be eligible for the new two-child policy. | The government estimates that 90 million couples will be eligible for the new two-child policy. |
| Correspondents say that despite the relaxation of the rules, many couples may opt to have only one child, as one-child families have become the social norm. | Correspondents say that despite the relaxation of the rules, many couples may opt to have only one child, as one-child families have become the social norm. |
| What was the one-child policy? | What was the one-child policy? |
| What was China's one-child policy? | What was China's one-child policy? |
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