China’s ruling Communist Party on Monday announced a relaxation of its strict two-child policy to allow all couples to have up to three children, in a major policy change after recent data showed a steep decline in birth rates in the world’s most populous country.

China permitted all couples to have two children in 2016, scrapping the draconian decades-old one-child policy which policymakers blame for the demographic crisis in the country. Chinese officials claim the one-child policy implemented for over three decades has prevented over 400 million births.