China's largest city Shanghai is set to implement a new population policy on Thursday that will make it a bit easier for certain locals to have a second child, China Daily said Tuesday.

The new Shanghai population and family planning regulation, which was approved by Shanghai People's Congress last year, stipulates that a husband and wife who both are single child themselves can have a second child.

The new policy also cancels a four-year interval period between the first and second births, which was set down by old provisions.

Originally, only a couple in a second marriage could have another child if one of the spouses did not already have one. The new regulation removes such a prerequisite. It means a newly organized family can have one more child even if the couple have children from earlier marriages.

Under the old regulation, if one member of a couple in rural areas is disabled to such an extent that if affects his or her labor ability, the family can have a second child. Under the amendment, such a right now will be extended to urban families.

The policy readjustments, though only small in scope, indicate more humanitarian care, the paper said.

The city's family planning authority, however, emphasizes that the new regulations do not mean to "greatly loosen restrictions on second births."

"They are not to encourage more childbearing," said Xia Yi, vice-director of Shanghai Municipal Population and Family Planning Commission. "The one-child policy will remain the basis for the new regulation."

Source: Xinhua