Next year, a pilot project will start in five provinces with low birth rates to allow a second baby -- if at least one spouse is an only child.
Big cities like Shanghai and Beijing will follow suit in 2012 with the rest of the nation by 2014.
For three decades, Chinese couples have been allowed only one child to prevent over-population.
Violators faced stiff fines. The result, parents abort or abandon girls leaving a population imbalance -- 12 boys for every 10 girls.
