By the end of 2004, the population of China reached 1,299,880,000, revealed Wang Guoqiang, vice director of the National Population and Family Planning Commission at the Conference of Analysis of National Population and Family Planning Work held yesterday in the western Chinese city of Lanzhou, Gansu Province.

According to Wang, 2004 was a critical year for family planning work. The natural growth rate fell to 0.587%, lower than expected, dropping 0.014 of a percentage point from last year. The conference concluded that family planning has been carried out successfully in all of China's provinces, municipal cities and autonomous regions.

Source: chinanews