About Population Policy

The National Family Planning Program of China 1995-2000

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Updated: 2010-08-20 15:07

The National Family Planning Program of China 1995-2000

Date: State Family Planning Commission

 

Text:

I. Current Population Situation

II. Primary Tasks, Major Objectives and Working Principles

III. Stabilize Current Family Planning Polices in Effect and Improve the Legal System

IV. Give Top Priority to Education and Publicity and Help Effect Changes in the People's Concept of Childbearing V. Improve Family Planning at the Grassroots Level with the Emphasis on Rural Areas

VI. Develop Science and Technology for Family Planning and Reproductive Health and Improve the Quality of Technical Services

VII. Strengthen and Improve Management of the Population Plan and Statistics

VIII. Increase Investment and Ensure Material Support

IX. Consolidate the Ranks of Family Planning Workers and Improve Their Quality

X. Strengthen Leadership and Adopt an Integrated Approach to Family Planning

The following program is formulated with a view to achieving the objectives of China's socialist modernization drive and promoting the sustained and sound development of China's family planning endeavor.

I. Current Population Situation

(1) It has been China's basic national policy to promote family planning, curb population growth and improve the health and education standards of its people. Over the past two decades, especially since the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party in 1978, significant achievements have been made in this endeavor along with the development of China's economy.

- As a change has taken place in the people's concept of marriage and childbearing, more and more people have accepted the idea of later marriage and later childbearing, fewer and healthier births. The fertility level of women has dropped by a big margin. Excessive population growth has, on the whole, been controlled and the quality of people's lives has gradually improved.

- Family planning has helped save a large amount of resources and funds and has alleviated the pressure caused by excessive population growth on food, clothing, housing, transportation, education, medical services, employment, natural resources and the environment. Family planning has played a vital role in socioeconomic development and the improvement of people's living standards.

- Family planning has helped free women from the burden of frequent childbearing and family chores and offered them more opportunities for gaining greater scientific and cultural knowledge and participating in political, economic and social activities. As a result, the status of women has been greatly enhanced.

These achievements are attributed to the active participation of the masses and joint efforts of family planning cadres and workers at the grassroots level under the guidance of the Party and Government from the center down to the various local levels.

(2) However, it should be noted that we cannot afford to rest optimistic about China's population situation. The tasks for promoting family planning remain arduous. The following facts give a whole picture of the current situation of population and family planning in China:

As China's population has such a big base, the absolute number of its annual births remains high and its total population keeps growing in size although the fertility rate has dropped to a fairly low level.

As some people are yet to effect a complete change in their concept of childbearing and some of their practical difficulties remain to be solved, the fertility rate is still fluctuating and liable to rise again if we fail to do a better job in family planning.

Progress in implementing the family planning program varies from place to place. Fertility levels in some areas are still on the high side. Family planning services in most of the rural areas, especially remote, border and impoverished areas, still leave much to be desired.

The establishment of socialist market economy has exposed family planning to new situations and new problems. The promotion of family planning among the floating population remains a challenging job. Many problems are yet to be solved concerning the quality of life and structure of the population. Therefore, the promotion of family planning to control the population size and the improvement of health and education standards of the people remain an arduous and urgent task of strategic importance.