CHINA’S first family planning law came into force yesterday, with officials clarifying that the one child policy has not been relaxed.

　The law covering the nation’s 1.3 billion people comes after 30 years of strategies to control the population.

　The new law, which has been 23 years on the drawing board, has detailed provisions on measures to encourage and guarantee family planning, and outlines the public’s legal obligations.

　Zhang Weiqing, minister in charge of the State Family Planning Commission (SFPC), said the law had put an end to variations in local rules and random administrative measures governing population control.

　Outstanding progress could be found in the law in terms of perfecting the legal system and the deep concern it showed for the people, according to Li Jianmin, director of a population research center at Nankai University in Tianjin.

　The human-oriented law ordains that family planning is a duty of Chinese citizens, but they also enjoy legal rights and interests, for which they are entitled to legal protection.

　It especially stresses that there should be no abuse of official power, obtrusion or infringement on public rights in the administration performance of family planning policies.

　The government will offer benefits to couples abiding by the law, while “social alimony,” instead of the once prevailing fine, will be charged to those who break it.

　It is clearly specified that couples meeting special provisions within the law are allowed a second child.But that does not mean a relaxation of the “one couple, one child” policy.

　Xu Yulin, vice director of the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council, said yesterday that China would neither tighten nor relax its family planning policy for a long time.

　Xu said it was a misconception to think that China would relax the policy to permit its citizens to have as many children as they like as long as they are able to pay “social alimony” imposed for an extra birth. (Xinhua)