Children play with a toy train at a toy fair in Beijing. (ZOU HONG / CHINA DAILY)
The revised Population and Family Planning Law, which allows Chinese couples to have three children, was passed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, on Friday.
The amended law stipulates that the country will take supportive measures, including those in finances, taxes, insurance, education, housing and employment, to reduce families' burdens as well as the cost of raising and educating children.
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The amended law stipulates that the country will take supportive measures, including those in finances, taxes, insurance, education, housing and employment, to reduce families' burdens as well as the cost of raising and educating children
The top legislature revised the law in order to implement the central leadership's decision to cope with new circumstances in social and economic development, and promote balanced long-term population growth.
In May, the central leadership announced that all couples will be allowed to have up to three children.
Protecting doctors
The NPC Standing Committee has also passed laws on legal aid and on protecting the lawful rights and interests of physicians.
Both legislations were adopted at the closing meeting of a session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Friday.
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The law to protect doctors, consisting of seven chapters and 67 articles, stipulates that Aug 19 is observed as China's Doctors' Day.
It also makes provisions on the qualification examination and registration, rules of practice, training and assessment, supporting measures, and legal liabilities for physicians.
The law will take effect on March 1, 2022.
The legal aid law specifies that law firms, grassroots legal service agencies, lawyers and primary-level legal service workers are all obligated to provide legal aid services in accordance with laws.
Under the circumstances when close relatives of heroic martyrs safeguard the personal rights and interests of heroic martyrs, or when people claim civil rights and interests relevant to their righteous and courageous acts, the applications for legal aid will not be restricted by their financial difficulties, according to the law.
Law firms, lawyers and legal aid volunteers are encouraged to offer legal aid services in areas with insufficient legal resources, according to the law.
The law will take effect on Jan 1, 2022.