Accomplishments of China's Family Planning Program: A Statement by a Chinese Official

Abstract

Mme. Peng Peiyun Minister in Charge of the State Family Planning Commission of China announced survey results showing a fertility decline from 19.7/1000 population in 1991 to 18.2/1000 in 1992. She attributed the decline to effective attention to birth control by leaders at all levels of the administrative system. Other influences may have been a rise in age of marriage and child-bearing and a lower desire for children due to more rapid economic growth. Concern was raised that the survey results may not be accurate and fertility may be higher. Total population by the end of 1992 was 1171710000. Results of a survey of 385000 showed contraceptive usage at 83.4% an increase of 12.3% over the 1988 figures of 71.2%. Unplanned births were reduced and the proportion of third and fourth parity births was 9.6% or a decrease of 54.7% from the 1987 level. The proportion marrying before the age of 20 years declined to 12.9% from 23.6% in 1987. Deferred marriages increased from 29.0% in 1987 to 36.5% in 1992. The mean age of first marriage increased to 22.5 years. Provinces followed the following patterns of fertility decline: those with a good family planning (FP) program and fertility rate <1.5 (Beijing Tianjin Shanghai Liaoning Shandong and Sichuan or a population totaling 37.88% of the total mainland population; those with FP progress and a recent noticeable birth rate decline (13 provinces with a population of 52.75% of the total mainland population); and those with a poor FP program and a high birth rate (Hainan Guizhou Yunnan Tibet Qinghai Ningxia and Xinjiang with a population equal to 9.1% of the total mainland population). Leadership changes have been responsible for the effectiveness in FP. Leaders have been asked to improve their understanding of population issues to include FP within economic development plans to be responsible for problems with FP and to take achievements in FP as a measure of their success in work. The absolute number of births is still too large and 25% of the rise in national income is consumed by newborns; fertility is not stable and regional differences in fertility exist. The tasks ahead are to modernize and improve FP to maintain the 3 changes to involve the masses and to keep an open mind toward improvement in FP within the socialist market economy.