China strives to limit population to 1.294 billion by 2000

Mme. Peng Peiyun, minister of the State Family Planning Commission, said that China must strive to limit its total population to 1.294 billion by the end of the century as set by the 8th 5-Year Population Plan and the 10-Year Population Program. The average annual net increase of population in the country in this decade will need to drop to 15.1 million with an annual rate of natural increase of no more than 12.49/1000. According to these goals, the total fertility rate of women at childbearing age must be reduced from 2.3 in 1990 to 2.1 in 1995 and continue to decline below the present average in developed countries. These figures were announced at the National Conference for Commending Advanced Units and Model Individuals for Publicity on Family Planning held in Beijing on September 25, 1991. It is very arduous to reach the goals, admitted Minister Peng, because: First,China has a large population base and is at present confronted with the 3rd baby boom since 1949. There will be 19 million planned births each year during the 8th 5-Year Plan (1991-95). Second, the implementation of the family planning program is uneven in the country. During the 1980s, the total fertility rate of urban women was kept below 1.5 while that of rural women was around 2.8. The 1990 national population census shows that the proportion of 3rd and higher parity births is still as high as 19.32%. Facing the present grave situation of population growth, we have to increase the emphasis on publicity and education about population and family planning to better facilitate implementation of the family planning program. At the conference 365 advanced units and 485 model individuals were commended. Mr. Wang Renzhi, head of the Publicity Department of the Party's Central Committee, and Mme. Peng Peiyun attended the awarding ceremony for commendation.