The nation will upgrade its action to balance population, resources and environment in development, top leaders say.
President Hu Jintao said Wednesday that research on a population development strategy needs to be strengthened. Mid and long term population development plans need should be made and innovations in family planning should be introduced.
Strict crop land protection policies should be adopted and implemented, research and assessment of land resources strengthened, and the prevention and control of geographical disasters enhanced, Hu said during a working conference on population, resources and the environment.
The president said environmental monitoring should be reinforced, pollution control be intensified in key river reaches and regions, and environmental and ecological protection in rural areas be given a boost.
For his part, Premier Wen Jiabao said at the conference that the low birth rate in China should be maintained and a system should be set up under which family planning among the country's floating population should be managed according to where people live.
Wen said efforts should be made to clear up all sorts of development zones and prevent illegal cropland abuses. Those responsible for approving illegal land uses will be punished severely.
Turning to environmental protection, Wen said the focus will be on the economical use of resources and development of the circular economy, an economy based on the most efficient use of resources and the most effective protection of the environment.
He added that efforts should be made to increase water efficiency.
Uneven proportion
Top officials also called for addressing the disparity in the proportion of men and women in the country.
Zhang Weiqing, director of the State Population and Family Planning Commission, said closing up the gender gap will be one of the major goals of the country's population and family planning efforts.
Currently, the country's average proportion between men and women is about 117:100, while a normal level worldwide is between 104:100 and 107:100, media reports said.
Some media reports say if the current proportion in China continues, there will be between 30 million and 40 million men by 2020 who are of marriage age but cannot find a wife.
Such a high proportion is mainly caused by traditional ideas that gives priority to boys, the abuse of modern techniques and the lagging behind of the social security system in the country, Zhang said Wednesday at a conference attended by provincial level population and family planning officials.
But others contend the proportion is not so high as some births of girls may not be officially counted.
Zhang said measures will be taken to fight illegal activities such as trafficking, harming and abandoning girl babies and while cracking down on illegal identifications of babies' gender and the halt of pregnancy by choice.
A campaign aimed at curbing the high proportion of men over women will be continued and expanded to more regions this year, Zhang said.
Last year, the campaign was carried out in 11 provinces on a trial basis.
Zhang also called on all levels of population and family planning departments to learn from Central China's Hubei Province, where the proportion between male and female has dropped to the national average.
The proportion in the province had long been high and in the peak time it was 128:100, said Zhang.
Editor in chief Li Guixiang.
