China to ease one-child policy, abolish labour camps

China’s Communist rulers announced an easing of its controversial one-child policy as part of a raft of sweeping pledges including the abolition of its “re-education” labour camps and loosening controls on the economy.

The moves — also including reductions on the application of the death penalty — were contained in a 22,000-word document on “major issues concerning comprehensively deepening reforms” released by official Xinhua news agency, days after a meeting of the Communist leadership in Beijing.

The gathering, known as the Third Plenum, has historically been the venue for major reform announcements, and comes one year after new leaders under Xi Jinping took charge of the ruling party.