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A Chinese government think tank is calling for an end to the unpopular one-child policy, a decades-old attempt to curb overpopulation in the nation, reports the AP. The China Development Research Foundation recommends a two-child policy for some regions now, with that plan going nationwide by 2015, followed by a drop of all child-limitation policies by 2020. It's a bold move for a group so close to China's leadership, but some say that the timeline isn't aggressive enough.
"China has paid a huge political and social cost for the policy, as it has resulted in social conflict, high administrative costs, and led indirectly to a long-term gender imbalance at birth," said Xinhua News Agency, which received an advance copy of the group's report. Some speculate that the policy's demise is impending as China is undergoing a rare transition in leadership. Current President Hu Jintao, however, has said that China would keep its policy until at least 2015.
