Following a four-day long meeting of some of the nation’s top officials, China has released a document outlining a series of major reforms that will soon be taking place throughout the country. Along with a move to transition to a more free-market base economy and the enforcement of tighter environmental standards, the reforms also include several major changes to social issues including the highly controversial one-child policy and the use of forced-labor camps. As part of the proposals, China would significantly ease its one-child policy—that frequently resulted in forced abortions and sterilizations (even though the practices were technically illegal)—and will now allow couples to have two children.
The document also said that China would end the practice of “education through labor.” The nation had faced international criticism over its policy that allowed law enforcement officials to put citizens into labor camp prisons without a trial. According to a report in The Wall Street Journal though, the reforms aren’t expected to happen overnight. “The test now for [President] Xi and China’s leaders will be how to implement many of its goals, including whether they will be introduced in coming months or will be introduced more gradually” …
