Demographic Developments in China

Introduction

This book assesses current developments in China’s demography, and discusses the changes which should be implemented to bring policy into line with the current demographic situation. It argues that population planning, which was introduced in the early years of the People’s Republic alongside economic planning, including "the one child policy", is no longer appropriate. It considers the results of the 2010 census, which showed the very significant shifts that are occurring , including a declining rate of population growth, ongoing growth of the number of people in "the floating population", an increasingly imbalanced sex ratio among newborn children, and ongoing ageing of the population. Besides discussing population planning policy, the book also examines how policies in the fields of education, health, gender relations, child development in rural areas, and polices for the elderly and families should be adjusted to accommodate demographic developments.