China's Two-child policy

China's government has announced it would relax the rules (country's one-child policy) to allow all couples to have two children.

It said the decision was made because of China's rapidly ageing population and to help support the economy.

China's controversial one-child policy was introduced nationally in 1979 to slow the population growth rate, and is estimated to have prevented about 400 million births.

Though there were exceptions to the policy, most couples who violated it faced punishment, from fines and the loss of employment to forced abortions.

Officials have stressed that the one-child policy will continue to be enforced until the law is changed.

The government estimates that 90 million couples will be eligible for the new two-child policy.