China to allow all couples to have 3 kids, in effort to cope with aging society

China’s ruling Communist Party said May 31 it will ease birth limits to allow all couples to have three children instead of two in hopes of slowing the rapid aging of its population, which is adding to strains on the economy and society. The ruling party has enforced birth limits since 1980 to restrain population growth but worries the share of working-age people is falling too fast while the share aged 65 and over is rising. That threatens to disrupt plans to turn China into a prosperous consumer society and global technology leader. A ruling party meeting led by President Xi Jinping decided to introduce “measures to actively deal with the aging population,” the official Xinhua News Agency said. It said leaders agreed “implementing the policy (where) one couple can have three children and supporting measures are conducive to improving China’s population structure.” Leaders also agreed China needs to raise its retirement age to keep more people in the workforce and improve pension and health services for the elderly, the state news agency said. (AP) This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.