At the 5th Asia-Pacific Population Conference convened in Bangkok of Thailand on December 16, the State Family Planning Commission of China (SFPC) delivered a report, saying China will endeavor to control its population size under 1.4bn (Hong Kong, Macao SAR and Taiwan excluded) by the end of 2010.
The report also said phased goals set by China are as follows. By 2005, its population is to be less than 1.33 billion, an annual average growth rate of 0.9 percent. Up to 2010, the growth rate will be at an annual average of less than 1.5 percent; meanwhile a marked quality improvement will be achieved. Coupled with a rational proportion of both sexes, basic medicare and reproduction service will be generally provided for childbearing. With new concepts and culture on marriage and reproduction being formed, education will be at an advanced level among the developed countries.
The report noted that in the first half of the 21st century the Chinese government would continue its efforts to maintain the country's current low reproduction rate of 1.8 births per couple.
(People?s Daily December 17, 2002)
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