China has made significant progress in controlling population growth while raising the overall quality of its people's health, education and culture.  

This was announced Friday at an international forum on population and sustainable development in Shanghai.

The director of China's National Population and Family Planning Commission, Zhang Weiqing, says China is also actively promoting the harmonious development of its population with natural resources, economy and the environment.

In the 1970s China started to implement policies to curb population growth. Without these polices, there would now be 300 million more people in the country.

This has helped the economy to grow and improve the living conditions and health of the people.

The life expectancy of the Chinese population has reached that of the rich countries. Meanwhile, the people's basic rights have been well respected and protected.

However, the director also says that, as a result of the high birth rates in the 1950s and 60s, about 10 million people will be born annually in China in the next twenty years. The large population still poses a long-term problem for the country.

(CRI October 25, 2004)