China may abolish hated one-child policy and allow families to have two children by the end of the year

 

China is on the verge of abolishing a much hated law that limits families to having just one child amid fears the country's rapidly ageing population may struggle to cope with the demand for workers.

Introduced in 1979 and blamed for tens of millions of abortions and abandoned children over the past 36 years, officials have long been under pressure from activists to reverse the policy.

In 35 years time, China is predicted to have up to 440 million citizens aged over 60 placing a massive burden on the economy

Meanwhile the working working-age population – those aged between 15 and 59 - falls by approximately 3.5 million every year.

Although Chinese politicians have generally been immune to the criticism, the campaign has been far more united in recent years thanks to pressure groups communicating online. 

There are also grave concerns that a policy originally designed to temper China's out of control post-war baby boom is now outdated, and that changing the law to allow families to have two children is the only way the country will be able to meet labour demands over the coming decades

Discussions to change the rules surrounding the one-child policy are understood to be underway and the introduction of a two-child policy could be in place as soon as the end of the year