Photo:Xinhua

 
The National Health Commission on Saturday sought to clarify a proposal to fully lift the family planning policy in Northeast China, saying it had not intended to create speculation about piloting the proposal in parts of the region, adding that the country's population decline is caused by multiple factors which cannot be solved only through relaxing policy limitations. 

The proposal was made by a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC) earlier. 

The Commission said on Thursday that the idea of fully lifting the family planning policy firstly in provinces of Northeast China — Heilongjiang, Liaoning and Jilin — is of great reference value and can organize experts to conduct an in-depth study of the impact of the relaxation of the policy on local economic growth, social harmony and stability. It said that the northeastern region can pilot the program once the social risks after a possible policy adjustment are assessed.

However, the Commission on Saturday explained in a statement published on its official website that detailed examination and research on the proposal is required, since the problem of population decline is caused by multiple factors which cannot be solved only through relaxing policy.

Online speculation about Northeast China piloting the relaxation of family planning, or that the policy would be abolished nationwide later, is not what the Commission had intended, the stament noted. 

The Commission said it will try to optimize birth planning policy and enhance the inclusiveness of the policy to better cope with the problem of an aging society.

The statement drew heated discussions among netizens on China's microblogging platform Sina Weibo, as some pointed out that another major problem facing the region is rising population outflow, due to relatively few job opportunities and lower personal income there compared with other parts of China. 

Global Times