Question: what is the one child law in china

title: One-child policy
text: Although the fertility rate began to decline , the Chinese government observed the global debate over a possible overpopulation catastrophe suggested by organizations such as Club of Rome and Sierra Club . While visiting Europe in 1979 , one of the top Chinese officials , Song Jian , read two influential books of the movement , The Limits to Growth and A Blueprint for Survival . With a group of mathematicians , Song determined the correct population of China to be 700 million . A plan was prepared to reduce China 's population to the desired level by 2080 , with the one - child policy as one of the main instruments of social engineering . In spite of some criticism inside the party , the plan ( also referred to as the Family Planning Policy ) was officially adopted in 1979 . The plan called for families to have one child each in order to curb a then - surging population and limit the demands for water and other resources , as well as to alleviate social , economic , and environmental problems in China . The policy was formally implemented as a temporary measure on September 18 , 1980 . 

Answer: answer: A plan was prepared to reduce China 's population to the desired level of 700 million by 2080 , with the one - child policy as one of the main instruments of social engineering. The plan called for families to have one child each in order to curb a then - surging population and limit the demands for water and other resources , as well as to alleviate social , economic , and environmental problems in China.