The major task for family planning work in China in the future will be to sustain a slow population growth and solve other population problems, said State Councilor Wang Zhongyu at a national conference on family planning held in Beijing on December 24.

The number of women of childbearing age, the elderly and farmers that come to urban centers to find work will continue to increase in the next decade. These factors will cause serious population problems.

Wang urged family planning committees at all levels to be aware of the importance as well as the difficulties of sustaining a slow population growth.

A macro-control and management system of family planning needs to be established to encourage people to follow family planning policies and develop social welfare systems. Wang said that the government should use tax breaks, price control and other methods to improve family planning work in central and western areas and disaster-stricken areas with financial difficulties.

Wang stressed that population and family planning work in central and western China should be made a priority and be combined with poverty-relief work in rural areas.

Zhang Weiqing, minister in charge of the State Family Planning Commission, made a speech on population and family planning work for next year at the meeting.