Beijing starts to amend family planning rule

A draft amendment on Beijing’s family planning policy was delivered to local legislators for a first review on Friday. Once approved, Beijing couples, in which one spouse is an only child, will be eligible to have a second child.

This is in line with the country’s new family planning policy, but detailed rules will be made by local governments and approved by the legislature before couples can get the green light.

Beijing is among the first to echo the two-child decision made by central authorities in November.

According to legislative procedures and arrangements, the draft amendment will go through a second review in February and, once approved, will be put into practice in March at the earliest.