China to ease one-child policy

Millions of parents in China will soon be able to have a second child.

The government announced on Friday that couples in which one parent is an only child will now be able to have a second child of their own.

Chen and his wife Zhang had already decided to have a second child and were willing to pay a steep fine in order to do so. They're happy to be free of that financial burden.

SOUNDBITE: 36-Year-Old Father Chen Jun saying (Mandarin):

''I think it is our obligation as parents to make sure he has a sibling. An only child is too lonely. I am not an only child myself, I have a younger sister. An only child will never feel what I feel, it feels great to have a sister.''

The plan to ease the one-child policy was envisioned by the government about five years ago.

Officials started to worry that the strict controls were undermining economic growth, and were contributing to a rapidly aging population that China couldn't support financially.

Gerontol