How did the Chinese government respond to the country's rapid population * growth in the late 1970 s? by expanding the size of the country's cities by raising the age at which couples could marry by forcing people to move to the country's west by limiting the number of children couples could have

In the late 1970s, the Chinese government implemented the famous "One Child Policy" to address the explosive population growth, which was seen as a barrier to economic development. This controversial policy restricted urban couples to having just one child, while in rural areas, exceptions were made to encourage families to have a second child if their firstborn was a girl. This significant demographic effort aimed to alleviate issues related to resources and maintain social stability. The One Child Policy led to various unintended consequences, including a skewed gender ratio due to a cultural preference for sons and an aging population. In recent years, the government has gradually relaxed restrictions on childbearing, largely to cope with these demographic challenges and to encourage a more balanced population structure that supports economic growth.