In the practice of carrying out family planning programme, whilst persistently proceeding from its reality and taking into full account and observing principles and regulations concerning population and family planning formulated by international institutions and organizations, the Chinese government has gradually set up guiding principles, policies, measures and methods that reflect the basic interests and various rights and interests of the people, and has continuously improved these as the actual situations change, so as to better safeguard the right to subsistence and development of the Chinese nation.
It has been China's consistent stand and principle in international
exchange and cooperation to fully respect the sovereignty of all nations, and not to
interfere with the internal affairs of other nations. The "Programme of Action"
adopted by the International Conference on Population and Development by that conference
in Cairo, 1994, pointed out: "The formulation and implementation of
population-related policies is the responsibility of each country and should take into
account the economic, social and environmental diversity of conditions in each country,
with full respect for the various religious and ethical values, cultural backgrounds and
philosophical convictions of its people, as well as the shared but differentiated
responsibilities of all the world's people for a common future." Only by proceeding
from the reality of the country, independently setting up its population policy and
target, as well as plans and measures to realize this target, can
China has always held that concepts of human rights are a product of historical development, closely related to social, political and economic conditions, as well as the individual nation's particular history, culture and concepts. The realization and optimization of human rights is a historical process. A citizen's right of choice in reproduction is also part of this process.
The great changes in the world population situation in the
mid-twentieth century, the rapid world population growth and the severe consequence
ensuing have aroused increasing attention from the international community and various
countries. The contradiction between population on one hand and survival and development
on the other is especially sharp in developing countries with a fast population growth.
Irrational international economic order, stagnant economic and social development, and the
pressure of a large population have continually widened the gap between developed and
developing countries in terms of welfare and living conditions, increasing rather than
decreasing the number of those living below the poverty line. With recognition of the
seriousness of the population problem and the urgent need to control population growth,
people's understanding and attitudes towards reproduction and other associated rights have
changed, responding to new historical conditions, becoming more comprehensive. The
"World Population Plan of Action," approved at the International Population
Conference held in Bucharest in 1974, states: "Individual reproductive behaviour and
the needs and aspirations of society should be reconciled.... All couples and individuals
have the basic right to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their
children and to have the information, education and means to do so; the responsibility of
couples and individuals in the exercise of this right takes into account the needs of
their living and future children, and their responsibilities towards the community."
The "Recommendations on Further Implementing the World Population Plan of
Action," approved at the 1984 International Population Conference held in Mexico
City, again emphasized that "Any recognition of rights also implies
responsibilities." Accordingly, when couples and individuals exercise their right to
the choice of reproduction, they should "take into consideration their own situation,
as well as the implications of their decisions or the balanced development of their
children
Family planning in China is pursued in complete accordance with the
relevant principles and human rights requirements designated by the international
community. China's family planning policies and programmes combine citizens' rights and
duties, joining the interests of the individual with those of society. These conform to
the basic principles outlined at the various international population conferences and have
been established on the basis of the relationship of interpersonal interests under
socialism. Never in any country are rights and duties absolute, but rather, they are
relative. There are no duties apart from rights, or rights apart from duties. When there
is conflict between social needs and individual interests, a means has to be sought to
mediate it. This is something that the government of every sovereign country is doing. As
China has a large population, the Chinese government has to limit the number of births of
its citizens. This is a duty incumbent on each
We should see that in China, especially in rural, backward and
remote areas, there is a gap between the desire for childbirth of some couples of
child-bearing age and the demand of the present family planning policy, and shortcomings
of one kind or another are unavoidable in family planning work. However, as the family
planning policy fundamentally conforms to the interests of the majority of the Chinese
people and, during its actual implementation, the actual difficulties and reasonable
demands of some people have been taken into consideration and the legal rights and
interests of the citizens are strongly protected, the family planning policy has won
understanding and recognition from the broad masses of the people. Through long period of
practice, the Chinese people have realized more and more deeply from their practical
interests that family planning is a cause that benefits the nation and the people, and
they have increasingly come to understand and support this cause. After unremitting
efforts, including drawing useful experience from other countries, the management level
and service quality of China's family planning programme have continually