China’s Population Up 14 Million; Eased Birth Control Policy Blamed

China’s population grew by 14 million last year to a total of 1.06 billion people in the world’s most populous nation, the State Statistical Bureau said Monday.

A bureau official said that “relaxed control over family planning in some areas” led to a sharp increase in China’s net growth rate, from 11.23 babies born per thousand people in 1985 to 14.08 per thousand last year.

Experts say that China must keep its net growth rate--the birthrate minus the death rate--at 10 per thousand to accomplish its target of holding the population to 1.2 billion by the year 2000. In 1986, the birthrate was 20.77 per thousand people and the death rate was 6.69 per thousand. The birthrate in 1985 was 17.80 per thousand.

Relaxed Controls

Chinese officials have recently called for more attention to the government’s “one couple, one child” family planning policy, which is directed at helping the nation stem population growth.

But Beijing, facing continued opposition to the one-child policy, has gradually relaxed family planning in some areas.

Although family planning is a major government policy, authorities are also concerned by the potential social problems created by the single-child rule.

There are an estimated 35 million children in one-child families in China. Recent reports said many of the youngsters are so doted upon by their parents that they have become “selfish, lazy, self-indulgent, dependent and arrogant.”

Problems Ahead

Demographers also worry about the problems today’s youngsters will face as they reach adulthood and must support China’s aging population. In 30 years, an estimated 20% of China’s population will be over 60, compared to a predicted world average of 13.7%.