China Ends Its One-Child Policy

Published October 29, 2015 at 1:12 PM EDT

A woman carrying a baby in Yanji, in China's northeast Jilin province. China's Communist leaders gather on October 26 to hash out a new Five Year Plan to battle slowing growth, and analysts say they must choose between such outmoded concepts as GDP targets and reforms that could include the one-child policy. (Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images)

The controversial policy was implemented in 1979 to slow the country’s birth rate and population growth, but the Communist Party said today it will revise the policy to allow Chinese couples to have two children.

A statement from the ruling Communist party says the change will help China deal with its aging population. Jo Floto, the BBC’s bureau chief in Beijing joins Here & Now’s Robin Young to discuss the impact of the new ruling.

Note: This BBC interview can be heard in the Here & Now podcast or with the WBUR app.

Guest

Jo Floto, BBC Bureau Chief in Beijing. He tweets @jofloto.

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