Family planning as part of a national basic policy
Family planning is part of a national basic policy in China. It consists of specific measures that guide population planning. This policy was introduced in order to encourage citizens to postpone marriage and childbearing and reduce the number of children per couple as part of the strategy to control population growth and ensure that population growth would not outpace economic and social development.
This policy has been implemented since the early 1970s. It was reaffirmed as part of a national policy in China at the 12th CPC National Congress in September 1982 and incorporated into China's constitution in December 1982. China's population and family planning law was adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress at its 25th session in December 2001. Family planning has allowed China to bring about an early historic shift in fertility patterns, effectively eased the pressure of population growth on resources and the environment, and greatly promoted economic development and social progress. The proper implementation of this basic policy has proven essential for developing socialism with Chinese characteristics and building a prosperous country. It has also contributed significantly to global efforts to manage population and development issues.
The dawn of the 21st century was witnessing a change in the demographic structure, with a shrinking working-age population and an increasing number of elderly people. Against this backdrop, the Party Central Committee made a decision on further reform in November 2013 to allow couples who were themselves only children to have a second child. An amendment to the population and family planning law was adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in December 2015, and the across-the-board implementation of the two-child policy formally began on January 1, 2016.
Population is a strategic issue that requires long-term, holistic thinking. Family planning will remain part of a national policy in China for the foreseeable future. Gradual adjustment will help improve the policy and ensure long-term balanced population growth.
計劃生育基本國策
計劃生育政策是中國的一項基本國策，是政府在人口領域內對人口婚育行為進行客觀指導的具體措施。這一政策的初衷是提倡公民晚婚晚育、少生優生，通過有計劃地控制人口，使人口增長同經濟和社會發展計劃相適應。
中國自20世紀70初開始推行計劃生育政策。1982年9月黨的十二大將計劃生育確定為中國的基本國策，同年12月寫入《中華人民共和國憲法》。2001年12月全國人大常委會第二十五次會議通過《中華人民共和國人口與計劃生育法》。實行計劃生育以來，中國提前實現了人口再生產類型的歷史性轉變，有效緩解了人口對資源和環境的壓力，有力促進了經濟發展和社會進步。實踐證明，中國較好地實行計劃生育的基本國策，對建設中國特色社會主義、實現國家富強和民族振興產生了巨大影響，為促進世界人口與發展發揮了重大作用。
進入21世紀后，隨著人口結構的轉變，中國勞動年齡人口開始下降，老年人口保持上升態勢。面對這一形勢，2013年11月，《中共中央關于全面深化改革若干重大問題的決定》提出，啟動實施一方是獨生子女的夫婦可生育兩個孩子的政策。2015年12月，全國人大常委會表決通過人口與計劃生育法修正案，“全面二孩”政策于2016年1月1日起正式實施。
人口問題始終是中國面臨的全局性、長期性、戰略性問題。在未來相當長時期內，中國將繼續堅持計劃生育基本國策、逐步調整完善生育政策、實現人口長期均衡發展。
