China To Enter New Century With Less Than 1.3 Billion PopulationChina will succeed in controlling its population below 1.3 billion as planed by the end of this year, according to a report by population experts Wednesday.The report by a group of experts from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the State Family Planning Commission said China's total population was 1.258 billion by the end of last September. The current population growth rate in China is below 1 percent, one of the lowest in the world's developing countries, experts said. China's population has been well under control since the family- planning policy was adopted in 1970s, and the country has been experiencing an ideal period characterized by "low birthrate, low death rate low growth rate" since late 1990s, the experts said. The proportion of China's population to the world's total figure has decreased from previously one-fourth to one-fifth. The latest prediction by the State Statistics Bureau shows that China's population will surpass 1.3 billion in 2003 and reach its peak of about 1.5 billion 40 years later, and then achieve a zero population growth rate. According to the report, China will continue its population control policies as a long-term strategy. |
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