<P> In October 2015, the Chinese government announced that its family planning policy would change from the one - child policy to a two - child policy . The new law took effect on January 1, 2016, following its passage in the standing committee of the National People's Congress on December 27, 2015 . </P> <P> During the period of Mao Zedong's leadership in China, the birth rate fell from 37 per thousand to 20 per thousand . Infant mortality declined from 227 per thousand births in 1949 to 53 per thousand in 1981, and life expectancy dramatically increased from around 35 years in 1948 to 66 years in 1976 . Until the 1960s, the government encouraged families to have as many children as possible because of Mao's belief that population growth empowered the country, preventing the emergence of family planning programs earlier in China's development . The population grew from around 540 million in 1949 to 940 million in 1976 . Beginning in 1970, citizens were encouraged to marry at later ages and have only two children . </P> <P> Although the fertility rate began to decline, the Chinese government observed the global debate over a possible overpopulation catastrophe suggested by organizations such as Club of Rome and Sierra Club . While visiting Europe in 1979, one of the top Chinese officials, Song Jian, read two influential books of the movement, The Limits to Growth and A Blueprint for Survival . With a group of mathematicians, Song determined the correct population of China to be 700 million . A plan was prepared to reduce China's population to the desired level by 2080, with the one - child policy as one of the main instruments of social engineering . In spite of some criticism inside the party, the plan (also referred to as the Family Planning Policy) was officially adopted in 1979 . The plan called for families to have one child each in order to curb a then - surging population and limit the demands for water and other resources, as well as to alleviate social, economic, and environmental problems in China . The policy was formally implemented as a temporary measure on September 18, 1980 . </P> <P> The one - child policy was originally designed to be a One - Generation Policy . It was enforced at the provincial level and enforcement varied; some provinces had more relaxed restrictions . The one - child limit was most strictly enforced in densely populated urban areas . </P>

What is the one child law in china
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