Photo: China's overall population continued to grow, rising to 1.4 billion at the end of the year from 1.39 billion a year earlier. / Xinhua

BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday passed a law amendment that allows each couple to have three children and stipulates supportive measures for the new policy.

The amendment to the Population and Family Planning Law was passed at a session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee.