China is to abolish its one-child policy, the official Xinhua news agency reported today from a meeting of the Central Committee of the Communist Party in Beijing.

In future, all couples will be allowed to have two children, the report said.

The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences earlier suggested a two-child solution to the problem of ageing population and a falling birth rate, media reports said.

On average, Chinese women give birth to slightly fewer than 1.6 children but a birth rate of 2.1 is needed for a stable population.

The one-child policy was introduced in the 1970s to prevent a population explosion.

Without the policy China would have around 300 million more people than now, according to estimates.

- dpa