China's ethnic population and relevant policies
Zou, D.
China Population Today 8(1): 8-9
1991
PMID: 12284671 Document Number: 316499
In this article, a reporter from People's Daily interviews 2 government officials on the issue of rapid growth among China's ethnic minorities. A November 14, 1990 government communique reported that China's ethnic population has increased sharply, a 35.5% increase since 1982, compared to a 10.8% increase among the majority Han nationality. Furthermore, the number of minorities with a population over 1 million has increased from 15 to 18, and the population of 6 minorities has more than doubled. During the interview, Chen Xin and Yang Yixing, respectively vice-minister and deputy director of the Department of Policy, Laws, and Regulations of the State Nationalities Affairs Commission, explain that there are 2 reasons for the rapid growth of minority populations: natural increase and changes in nationality status. From 1982 to 1990, the minority populations increased by 23.97 million, 10 million of which was due to natural growth, the rest to changes in nationality status. The officials explain that the reason behind the natural increase is that the government does not implement its family planning policy indiscriminately. While all nationalities are supposed to practice family planning, the government takes into consideration the particular situation of nationalities--their historical background, religion, place of habitation, etc. The officials approve of this flexibility. The massive changes in nationality status began as early as 1979, when minorities no longer feared discrimination. Concerning the implementation of family planning policy among minorities, the officials recommend further refining the law that applies to each minority, strengthening family planning education and publicity among minorities, and improving the medical and health conditions in remote minority areas.