The 30-year-old one-child policy will be eased, allowing couples to have two children if one of the parents is an only child. According to the National Health and Family Planning Commission, local governments will decide when and how to implement the new policy, based on their region's specific situation.

Guangdong in South China is very likely to be the first province for a pilot try. The commission has also played down fears of a sharp jump in births. It estimates the total population of 2020 will be what it calls "significantly" less than 1.43 billion. It projects a "pile-up" of births over a short period of time, but says the new-born population will be roughly equal to that in 2000, which is 13.79 million.

A recent survey indicates up to 10 million couples are eligible to have a second child. 60 percent are interested in doing so. These couples will to apply for approval. If the two parents come from different regions, they can apply to either of their local governments. The commission warns that family planning remains the state's responsibility, and there are penalties for violations.