Preface
1. The 21st century is approaching. With the rapid development
of science and technology and the swift changes in the world economic order and patterns,
population and development have become an increasingly important issue, which draws broad
concern of the international community. It is the common choice of all countries to seek a
way to achieve sustainable development with population, economy, society, resources and
environment all in harmony.
2. China is a developing country with the biggest population in the world. A sample survey
shows that China's population had reached 1.26 billion by the end of 1999 (excluding the
population of the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions and Taiwan Province),
accounting for about 21% of the world total. In order to better understand the pattern and
trend of the population change, further rein in population growth, improve population
quality, and properly formulate a population policy and social and economic development
plan for the 21st century, the Chinese Government conducted its fifth national census in
November 2000. The result will be published once all data are processed.
3. China has a huge population, but a weak economic foundation with relatively inadequate
per-capita resources. These are its basic national conditions. Many contradictions and
problems in China's economic and social development are closely associated with the issue
of population, which has become the key factor and primary problem restricting China's
economic and social development. Whether the population problem can be properly solved has
direct bearing on the improvement of the population quality and the living standards of
the Chinese people, as well as the prosperity of the Chinese nation. It also concerns the
world peace and development.
4. In line with the strategic goal of the nation's modernization drive and proceeding from
national conditions, the Chinese Government has formulated and implemented a population
policy which conforms to China's reality and has greatly contributed to the stabilization
of the national and the world population and to the promotion of human development and
progress.
The Chinese Government is willing to continue its efforts together with the international
community to effectively solve the problem of population and development. The Chinese
Government firmly believes that China's population and development cause will develop
further in the 21st century and that China will make stillgreater contribution to the
civilization and progress of mankind!
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