The population of China, fertility and urbanization
Okazaki, Y.
Jinko Mondai Kenkyu 174: 1-18
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0387-2793 PMID: 12155127 Document Number: 377210
China is a huge country with more than 1 billion population. During some 30 years since 1949 when the new China was established, the population of China experienced several influences from political, economic, and social fluctuations on its fertility, mortality, and migration. Recently, the government of China is taking a unique policy for its fertility, so-called "only 1 child per couple" policy, having remarkable effects on actual birthrate. Trend of migration in China is also noteworthy. The number of migrants from rural to urban areas has not been large, and the proportion of urban population has not risen rapidly. There are several reasons behind this. Recently, the government has started policies to encourage sideline business of farmers to utilize effectively surplus labor in agriculture. By this way not only transfer of labor force from agriculture can be realized but also transfer of population from rural to urban areas can be realized. The target of urbanization in China is not the establishment of large cities but the creation of small cities and towns related closely with villages. The author was given the opportunity to attend the Beijing International Symposium on Population and Development, which was held in December 1984. At that Symposium many valuable papers were presented by Chinese scholars, using the latest demographic data of population census, fertility survey, and civil registration. The author shares this information with those who are concerned with the population of China in this short paper, especially putting focus on China's fertility and urbanization.