National Health Commission: It is not appropriate to immediately delete all the content of "family planning". Further research and demonstration is needed to reward families with two children

Recently, the website of the National Health Commission published the "Reply to Suggestion No. 6429 of the First Session of the 13th National People's Congress", which responded to the suggestion of the National People's Congress representatives on optimizing the environment for women's growth and development to help promote the effective implementation of the two-child policy. The reply was written on September 14, 2018. In addition, the website of the National Health Commission also published the "Reply to Suggestion No. 1949 of the First Session of the 13th National People's Congress", which responded to the suggestion of the National People's Congress representatives on canceling the "family planning". The reply was written on September 25, 2018.

In response to the "extended maternity leave and companion leave" proposed in the representative's suggestion, the National Health Commission replied:

The "Special Provisions on Labor Protection of Female Employees" issued in 2012 adjusted the maternity leave from the original 90 days to 98 days. For difficult births, the maternity leave will be increased by 15 days; for multiple births, the maternity leave will be increased by 15 days for each additional baby. At present, most regions, under the authorization of the Population and Family Planning Law, stipulate that female employees who give birth in accordance with the policy can also enjoy 30-90 days of bonus leave, and the male can enjoy 7-30 days of paternity leave, and it is clear that wages and benefits will be paid. In addition, female employees who give birth can combine paid annual leave and other holidays with maternity leave. With the continuous development of the economy and society, appropriately extending the length of maternity leave for female employees will play a positive role in encouraging the birth of a second child, solving the practical difficulties of employees in childcare, and promoting family and social harmony. We will further study the impact of increased vacations on the labor costs of employers, production and operation development, and the employment rights and interests of female employees, and actively put forward opinions and suggestions to the legislative organs and relevant departments to promote the improvement of relevant laws and regulations.

In response to the content of "Exploring and Implementing a System to Encourage the Birth of a Second Child" proposed in the representative's proposal, the reply stated:

Your suggestion to reward families that meet the conditions and give birth to a second child reflects the realistic voice of many families. Taking economic measures can alleviate the economic concerns and pressures of many families to a certain extent and stimulate the desire to give birth. However, whether or not to directly reward families with two children still requires further research, calculation and policy demonstration.

We will work with relevant departments to study and improve relevant policies such as taxation, employment, social security, and housing, explore the construction of a universal childcare service system, coordinate the use of maternity insurance and other insurance funds, enhance community care and elderly care services, promote the coordination and connection between fertility policies and related economic and social policies, and effectively solve the worries of families giving birth and raising children.

The National Health Commission responded to "Regarding the National People's Congress deleting all laws related to "family planning" content" as follows:

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that "the Constitution is the fundamental law of the country and the general charter for governing the country and maintaining national security. It has the highest legal status, legal authority, and legal effect, and is fundamental, overall, stable and long-term". On March 11, 2018, the first session of the 13th National People's Congress reviewed and passed the "Amendment to the Constitution of the People's Republic of China", retaining relevant expressions such as "the state promotes family planning". The Population and Family Planning Law and other laws are all formulated in accordance with the Constitution, and it is not appropriate to immediately and comprehensively delete the "family planning" content.

Since the beginning of the new century, my country's population situation has undergone a major turning point. The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core has scientifically grasped the laws of population development, complied with the expectations of the people, and made a series of major decisions and arrangements to gradually adjust and improve the birth policy and promote balanced population development from the strategic height of realizing the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Family planning has also achieved a shift from mainly controlling population size to simultaneously regulating total volume, improving quality and optimizing structure. In the next step, our commission will follow the requirements of the Central Committee, focus on the strategic arrangements for the construction of socialist modernization with Chinese characteristics in the new era, comprehensively consider the relationship between population size, quality, structure, distribution and other factors, as well as the interactive impact between population and economic, social, resource and environment, scientifically grasp the laws of population, and work with relevant departments to propose a Chinese solution to solve the population problem in the new era, promote balanced population development, and provide lasting motivation and strong support for realizing the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

National Health Commission: At present, in terms of the protection of reproductive rights and interests, the "Population and Family Planning Law", "Maternal and Infant Health Law" and its implementation measures, "Family Planning Technical Service Management Regulations", "Special Provisions on Labor Protection of Female Employees" and other laws and regulations have relatively specific provisions. Your proposal to abolish the "Population and Family Planning Law" and "Maternal and Infant Protection Law" and formulate the "Population and Maternal and Infant Health Law" involves the integration of relevant laws and regulations. Our Commission will conduct systematic and in-depth research with relevant departments and fully demonstrate.