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
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