BEIJING - The number of couples applying to give birth to a second child since the only-child policy was relaxed reached nearly 800,000 by the end of September, a family planning official said Tuesday.

The number falls within expectations, said Song Shuli, spokeswoman of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, at a press conference.

The new policy, actually implemented from March in most localities, allowed couples to have a second offspring if either parent is an only child.

The relaxation came as the world's second largest economy strives to address the issue of labor force and aging population.

The one-child policy had limited most couples to only one child in order to control population growth.

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