The local family-planning departments said the birthrate in northwest China's Xinjiang Autonomous Region continued to decline this year.

In 2001, the birthrate in Xinjiang had dropped to 16.8 percent. Last year the rate was 16 percent. By the end of last year, a total of 586,000 families, including 85,000 minority nationality families, promised to have only one child.

An official from the financial bureau of the autonomous region said some 15 million yuan (1.8 million US dollars) had been allotted to fund programs encouraging local young farmers and herdsmen to have fewer children.

The Chinese government implements a family planning policy with the aim of promoting economic and social development, raising people's living standards, enhancing the quality of its population and safeguarding the people's rights to enjoy a better life.

Family planning is also being encouraged among minority nationalities to further their well-being and prosperity.

Source: Xinhua