One-child rule relaxed for military staff

The Chinese People's Liberation Army's family planning regulation has been revised to facilitate implementation among military staff of the country's recent relaxation of the one-child rule to allow Chinese couples to have a second child if only one spouse, rather than both, is an only child.

Previously, Central Military Commission Chairman Xi Jinping signed an order to have the previous regulation revised to formally give second-child permission to eligible military staff in line with the State family planning policy.

The new regulation of the PLA took effect on June 30.

In December, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, adopted the policy change and entrusted provincial congresses and their standing committees to make their own calls on implementation.

The new PLA regulation applies to military staff including active army personnel, employees of military attached units and non-active service civilian personnel.

Couples can apply to have a second child if either parent is an only child. This has to be in line with the reproduction policy of the place of the mother's residence permit, or hukou.

To date, 29 of 31 Chinese provincial regions have accordingly relaxed the policy, allowing couples to have a second baby if either parent is an only child, according to the National Health and Family Planning Commission.