Fertility transition in China: causes and trends

Abstract

"Decentralised policy formation and implementation is one of the salient features of China's family planning programme that is the most important driving force of China's fertility transition. This paper reviews the differentials in local policy and programmes, and examines their effects on patterns of fertility transition across China. Major consequences of the differential fertility transition, such as varied processes of population ageing and labour force supply etc. at provincial level, are then discussed. The author argues that the success of government population policy to a large extent is determined by socio-economic and cultural factors. On the other hand, regional demographic patterns have profound impact on China's regional and rural-urban differences in terms of socio-economic development. Large scale migration is one of such examples." (author's abstract)