China's Sichuan Province , Lifts All Birth Restrictions.<br />'The Guardian' reports that a province in China with <br />over 80 million people will lift all birth restrictions as part <br />of a national drive to increase the country's birth rate.<br />On January 30, the health commission of Sichuan<br />announced that it would lift restrictions <br />on unmarried people having children.<br />The commission said it would also <br />lift the cap on the number of births <br />and registrations for any parent.<br />'The Guardian' reports that <br />the new measures will be<br /> in place for the next five years.<br />The news comes as China has been introducing <br />a growing list of measures and legislative changes<br />aimed at encouraging people to have children.<br />In 2022, China's population fell <br />for the first time in sixty years. .<br />The shift from China's punitive one-child policy comes <br />as the number of aging people on state welfare <br />grows while the number of work-age people shrinks. .<br />The strict one-child policy included <br />financial penalties and forced abortions <br />until it was brought to an end in 2016.<br />'The Guardian' reports that many young <br />people in China have rejected the idea <br />of marriage and childbirth.<br />Young people often cite the high cost of living, reduced social mobility, career pressures and the expectations placed on women in Chinese society.<br />Young people often cite the high cost of living, reduced social mobility, career pressures and the expectations placed on women in Chinese society
