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Changing dynamics of China's population
中国人口结构亟需改变
July 11th is World Population Day, an annual event that seeks to raise awareness of global population issues. With one-fifth of the world's population, China is the most populous country in the world. By the end of 2014, China's population reached 1.368 billion.
That includes 230 million people under the age of 14; 930 million people between 15 and 59 and 212 million people over 60 years of age. The group of people over 60 is growing fast. In 2010, 13.3% of the entire population was over 60, and that number rose to 15.5% in 2014.
Meanwhile the number of births grew to 16.87 million in 2014 from 15.92 million in 2010. Thanks partly to the relaxation of the nation's one-child policy. Couples can now have two children if either parent is an only child. According to a survey conducted by China's top health authority, about 40% of these couples have plans to have a second child.
Gender imbalance is a serious side effect of the one-child policy, as a result of Chinese parents' traditional preference for boys. In 2014, the boy-to-girl sex ratio of newborns stood at 115.88 to 100. Director General Yang Wenzhuang from the National Health and Family Planning Commission says although there are still many challenges to changing the newborn sex ratio, more and more people in China now prefer girls to boys.
Yang Wenzhuang, Director-General of National Health, Family Planning Commission said:"During my recent field research, I found that people's perspectives on newborn sex-choice have changed greatly. In some rural regions of Henan Province, people become more aware of the advantages and value of girls. Girls may have more career choices and can earn quite a good salary, while raising boys costs relatively more. So in many places in China, especially in rural areas, there are more and more people now prefering girls to boys. And I believe, there will be a better environment for female citizens to develop in China."
