Chinese premier urges easing burdens to facilitate third-child policy

BEIJING, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday called for easing the burdens of maternity, parenting and education to facilitate the implementation of the third-child policy.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks in an instruction to a video conference on improving birth policies in Beijing.

The population issues are of fundamental, holistic, and strategic importance that concern the development of the Chinese nation, Li said.

Implementing the third-child policy and its supporting measures is a significant decision made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council to promote long-term and balanced population development, Li said.

The relevant economic and social policies and supporting measures should be coordinated to ease the burdens that giving birth, raising children, and providing education place on parents, Li stressed.

Li urged governments and authorities at all levels to formulate detailed plans and supporting measures to ensure the implementation of the policy.

When addressing the conference, Vice Premier Sun Chunlan, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, urged joint efforts on medical, educational, housing, and fiscal areas to achieve the strategic goal of population development, including speeding up revision of relevant laws and regulations.