China to reduce abortion in “dramatic” turnaround in response to plunging birth rates
China has announced that it is to reduce abortion for “non-medical” purposes and increase support for women raising families. The announcement follows China’s decision to relax its extreme child policy to allow couples up to three children. The change in policy stems from rising concerns over China’s declining birth rates.
China’s notorious one-child policy, enforced in 1979 to halt the rising birth rate, was replaced in 2016 by a two-child limit. This year, that limit was extended to three children, following a striking decline in population growth.
In 2020, 12 million births were recorded in China, compared to 18 million births in 2016.
China has now also pledged to reduce “non-medical abortions” – though the Chinese State Council, which made the declaration, did not define “non-medical” abortion or how it would be reduced.
The State Council, whose guidelines were, in this instance, focused on women’s …