Beijing may relax birth policy in March

The Standing Committee of Beijing Municipal People's Congress is examining an amendment tothe Beijing Municipal Population and Family Planning Regulations. If the amendment is passed,the new policy is expected to start since March 2014.
Obviously the new policy will up Beijing's birth rate, which will inturn affect public services and other aspects of society and theeconomy, said committee member Sun Shichao.
China's family planning policy was first introduced in the late 1970s to rein in populationincrease by limiting most urban couples to one child and most rural couples to two, if the firstchild was a girl.
The policy was relaxed and its current form stipulates that both parents must be only children ifthey are to have a second offspring.
The State Council, China's cabinet, has submitted the family planning bill to the bi-monthly session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC).
The new policy is expected to go into force in some regions in the first quarter of 2014.