Sharp population increase in Beijing anticipated

About 800,000 young people will reach marriageable age this year, according to the Beijing family planning office. This is almost 3 times the normal figure. The new marriage law sets the marriage age at 22 years for men and 20 for women, compared with 27 and 25 years previously. Although late marriage is still encouraged, increasing numbers of young people are registering for marriage licenses. A citywide public education campaign begun in January 1981 is in full swing throughout the rural and urban areas of the Beijing municipality to drive home to young people the idea that the age for marriage may be different from the age for starting a family and to encourage them to get married at an appropriately later age. According to the office, the city's family planning effort has been successful in the last decade. More and more families have promised to have 1 child. Figures show that in the 10 years between 1970-1980, there were about 600,000 fewer births than would have been expected without family planning.