On February 9, Beijing released on the official web portal of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality (www.beijing.gov.cn/) an implementation plan to promote long-term balanced development of population by improving birth policies. The plan requires a better organization and implementation of the third-child policy with supporting policies, aiming to achieve an appropriate birth rate, optimize the population structure and facilitate its long-term balanced development.

The plan stipulates the establishment and improvement of a full-life-cycle population services system with a focus on elderly care and child care. It requires to implement a childbirth registration system, create a "one-stop" childbirth registration of permanent residents, construct a "children-friendly" city, "maternal-and-infant-friendly" hospitals and "health-friendly" communities for children, and set up paid leave for single child to look after elderly parents.

The plan specifies that child care should be included in the economic and social development agenda, with guided social participation. It will see the implementation of integrating the expenditure for fostering children under three into related polices of the personal income tax special additional deduction plan. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, at least one comprehensive guidance center of child care should be established in each district. The city will encourage and support kindergartens with required resources to set up nurseries for kids aged two to three with nursery services.

In terms of reducing the cost of births, fostering and education of children, the plan proposes to set up parental leave and that children shorter than 1.3 meters be eligible for free tickets when they take buses and subway.

(Source: Xinhuanet)