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Population issues still vex China
12/1/2007 9:41

China faces serious problems as its population ages and a growing work force competes for a limited number of jobs, according to a report published yesterday by the State Population and Family Planning Commission.
The country's population will increase by 200 million within the next three decades, peaking at 1.5 billion in 2033, the report said, as it went on to list a series of measures to address the challenges that lie ahead.
The population is expected to reach 1.36 billion by 2010 and 1.45 billion by 2020.
Growth has been slowing, however, as a result of the one-child policy and other family-planning practices enacted in 1973.
As fewer children are born, the demographic mix has shifted. The report showed there are now 143 million Chinese over age 60, or 11 percent of the total population.
By 2020, there will be 234 million people over 60, accounting for 16 percent of the total - a sharp rise from the 9.9 percent in 2000.
The report estimated that by the late 2040s, those above 60 will number 430 million, representing 30 percent of the country's total. More than 320 million people - or 22 percent - will be older than 65.
The report also predicted that China will face increased tension caused by a conflict between a large population and limited resources. By the end of 2016, China's labor force aged 15 to 64 will number 1.01 billion, far exceeding the total workers in developed countries.
The report also pointed out that many Chinese workers will not be qualified for international competition because of poor health and education.
China reports 800,000 to 1.2 million birth defects each year, or four to six percent of all deliveries, and the figure is increasing.
Mental illness is on the rise, and diseases such as AIDS continue to threaten public health, the report said.
These problems have affected social development and harmony, efficient resource use and the overall competitiveness of the nation, the report said.
It suggested improvements in family-planning policies in an effort to restrict population growth.
According to the plan set out in the report, county and town-level agencies in rural areas should improve their services to better implement family planning measures.
Families with one child will be rewarded by the government, and the insurance system in rural areas should be strengthened to improve care for the elderly, the report said.


Xinhua