China goes at family planning her own way: an account of 35 years of family planning
Population Research 2(3): 12-18
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 1002-6576 PMID: 12314259 Document Number: 514536
Since the 3rd plenary session, the Party Central Committee and the State Council of China have attached great importance to family planning work, pointing out that the population has always been an extremely important issue in China's economic and social development. Characteristics that clarify China's situation are 1) a low level of industrial and agricultural production and the underdevelopment of economy and culture, 2) a large population with a young age composition, 3) a vast territory with conditions differing tremendously in various places, and 4) a predominantly rural population with feudal ideological influences--such as boys are superior to girls--that are relatively deep-rooted. The total fertility rate of childbearing age women in 1983 was 2.07 which, when compared with 5.68 in the 1960s and 4.01 in the 1970s, dropped 3.61 and 1.97 respectively. This growth rate is already lower than their population replacement rate, and is much lower than that of developing countries. Governments at all levels and related departments, all people's organizations, and all professions and trades now regard family planning as a part of their own work; unlike the old days, the concept of childbirth has greatly changed among the masses after years of publicity and practice in family planning. A nationwide scientific research network for family planning is now taking shape; in contraception and birth control, the types and model sizes of IUDs and oral drugs of domestic make are relatively complete.