China's one-child policy, which has been in effect since the late 1970s, has come to an end, according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency. Couples in China will now be allowed to have two children, not just one, a decision intended to help manage economic growth, avoid a "middle-income trap," and boost the labor pool. Intended to curb population growth, the one-child policy has been blamed for China's gender imbalance and aging workforce; the decision follows the first year in at least two decades that China's working-age population shrank.
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