China Neither Relaxes Nor Tightens Population Policy

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, December 31, 2001

China Neither Relaxes Nor Tightens Population Policy

The first population and family planning law in China, which will be implemented from September 1 next year, neither relaxes nor tightens China's population policy. Instead, it stresses that the current policy will be maintained, Zhang Weiqing, minister in charge of the State Family Planning Commission (SFPC), said Sunday in Beijing.

To maintain current policy for a long time

The first population and family planning law in China, the world's most populated country, will be implemented from September 1 next year.

The law neither relaxes nor tightens China's population policy. Instead, it stresses that the current policy will be maintained, Zhang Weiqing, minister in charge of the State Family Planning Commission (SFPC), said Sunday in Beijing.

He said that China's successful experience in population control and a series of basic guidelines, policies, systems and methods carried out in the country for years have been included in the new national law.

Although China's birth rate has dropped to a relatively low level, its population is expected to increase by 10 million a year.

The current situation means China will need to maintain the state policy of family planning for a long time, Zhang said.

Meets state needs and international human rights principles

Zhao Bingli, vice minister in charge of the SFPC, said that not only the long-term interests of China but also the realities of situations in different regions, and of various nationalities and social groups, as well as people's wishes to have more children, have been taken into consideration in making the population policy.

Li Honggui, a member of the Education, Science, Culture and Health Committee (ESCHC) of the National People's Congress (NPC) of China, said that China's current population policy is also in accordance with internationally accepted human rights principles. People's rights of survival and development should be given priority in developing countries, Li said.

Since China launched its family planning more than 30 years ago, about 300 million births have been avoided, and population pressure on the society has been alleviated to a certain extent.

The implementation of family planning is to protect people's right to enjoy higher living quality, said Li.

A second child allowed if circumstances meet set provisions

The law on family planning and population, enacted by the 25th session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Saturday, stipulates that the country encourages a couple to bear one child, and they can have a second child if their circumstances meet the set provisions.

The provisions should be made by provincial, municipal and autonomous regional people's congresses or their standing committees, according to the law.

At present, 19 provinces permit rural couples to have a second child if their first child is a girl.

In 27 provinces, if both of the spouses are the only child of their families, the couple are allowed to have two children.

Thirty-one provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions have the regulation that if the only child of a couple is disabled and cannot work to earn income, the couple may have a second one.

According to the latest national census in November, 2000, China's total population reached 1.27 billion. China aims to control its population to within 1.4 billion in 2010, and 1.6 billion by the middle of this century.

Major Figures of the 2000 Population Census
National Bureau of Statistics People's Republic of China

In accordance with decision of the State Council, China carried out its fifth national population census on November 1st, 2000. The advance tabulation of the major figures has completed and the results are released as follows:

Total Population : China has a population of 1,295.33 million. Of which:

The total population of the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities (excluding Jinmen and Mazu islands of Fujian Province hereafter) and of servicemen on the mainland of China was 1,265.83 million.

The population of Hong Kong SAR was 6.78 million.

The population of Macao SAR was 440 thousand.

The population of Taiwan Province and of Jinmen, Mazu and a few other islands of Fujian Province was 22.28 million.

Population Growth: Compared with the population of 1,133.68 million from the 1990 population census (with zero hour of July 1, 1990 as the reference time), the total population of the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and the servicemen of the mainland of China increased by 132.15 million persons, or 11.66 percent over the past 10 years and 4 months. The average annual growth was 12.79 million persons, or a growth rate of 1.07 percent.

Population of Family Households: In the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities of the mainland of China, there were 348.37 million family households with a population of 1,198.39 million persons. The average size of family household was 3.44 persons, or 0.52 persons less as compared with the 3.96 persons of the 1990 population census.

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