China faces the problem of having worker shortages in the future due to the small number of working age people and its fast graying society. In facing this, a province in northeastern China has allowed families to have three children, news reports say.

Heilongjiang province in northeast China is now allowing returnees from overseas or some other places such as Hong Kong, Taiwan or Macau to have a third child, reports the South China Morning Post. Heilongjiang authorities announced this Friday.

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The standing committee of Heilongjiang province's people's congress said that the new policy was passed last Thursday. It also applies to residents living in 18 Chinese cities that border Russia, including Tahe, Huma and Mohe, as well as those belonging to specific ethnic minorities.

CRIEnglish reports that the new policy also supports couples with at least one side from ethnic minority groups, with one side outside the mainland, and couples with at least one disabled child. These are allowed to have three children in the province.

Heilongjiang authorities have also given longer marriage leaves for newlyweds. From the current 15-day leave, it has been bumped up to 25. All of these efforts and changes in policies are aimed at raising the number of people that can enter the labor force.

However, most women aged 40 and below generally do not desire to have more children, reports the China Business Journal. This is because many think of childrearing and parenting are difficult responsibilities.

Nationwide Policy

Heilongjiang's new policy is considered a step ahead of the nationwide two-child policy that was launched earlier this year.

While the two-child policy is seen as part of the solution to China's graying population problems, it was reported earlier that the Communist Party still wants to promote a balanced growth in the country's population, and limit the number of children that all Chinese couples will have.

TagsHeilongjiang, three-child policy, two-child policy