In December 2015, China announced it would abandon its one child policy established in 1979 and would adopt a two child policy, effective from January 2016. China is encouraging couples to have more children, and cities are issuing new regulations following this policy.
Shanghai issued regulations in February 2016, increasing maternity leave from 98 days to 128 days for all new mothers. All fathers are allowed 10 days of paternity leave. Previously fathers were allowed 3 days of paternity leave, and only when the mother was over 24 years of age at the moment of giving birth. Also, all newly wed couples are entitled to 10 days of marriage leave. Previously, only couples that reached a certain age (25 for men and 23 for women) were entitled to 10 days of marriage leave, for younger couples and couples who were married once before marriage leave of 3 days applied. The new regulations are effective from 1 March 2016, but apply retroactively from 1 January 2016 to 29 February 2016.
Regulations regarding maternity, paternity and marriage leave may differ across different regions and cities.
For the new regulations of the Shanghai City Government, see
http://lgl.kn/fce93 (in Chinese).