The Chinese government will adhere to the basic policy of family
planning with improved services and stronger leadership, said
Premier Wen Jiabao at a national conference.
Family planning was crucial to China's modernization and the
building of a harmonious society, Wen told the national conference
on population and family planning held on Tuesday and
Wednesday.
The priority and the most difficult task of family planning was
in the countryside, where maintaining a low birth rate was crucial,
said Wen, calling for extended coverage of rewards and subsidies
for rural people.
The administration and service should be improved to grant
subsidies and social insurance in encouraging birth control, and
more needy families should be covered by social assistance
schemes.
Family planning among migrant workers needed to be strengthened
as well, Wen added.
He stressed that the Party committees and local governments must
enhance leadership and improve the working and living conditions of
the family planning personnel.
State Councilor Hua Jianmin said local governments should give
the same free birth control services to migrant workers as they
give to local residents.
Hua said gender identification for non-medical purposes would be
severely punished and policies advocating the rights of girls and
women as well as gender equality and birth control would be carried
out.
The prevention and intervention of birth defects would be
strengthened too, he said.
(Xinhua News Agency December 28, 2006)