Table of Content

29 September 2007, Volume 31 Issue 5

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Sex Ratio at Birth in China in the 1990s:How High Did It Really Climb?

Chen Wei, Zhai Zhenwu

2007, 31(5):  1-8. 

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While the very low fertility rates obtained from the various demographic surveys in the 1990s including the 2000 census are considered to be beyond belief,the very high sex ratios at birth(SRB)reported from the same surveys are widely accepted.The major objective of this article is to re-estimate China’s SRBs in the 1990s using the educational data by examining the sex differences in birth under-reporting in the 2000 census.Results show that the estimated SRBs were not as high as those reported in the census.The actual SRBs and sex ratios at younger age groups are estimated to be lower than those reported in the census by 5-9 percentage points.Under-reporting of female births is estimated to account for at least 50% of the excessive amount of the SRBs in the 1990s.Socio-economic differentials in the SRB are also examined in this article using the micro data of the 2000 census.

Future Trends and Spatial Patterns of Migration in China

Cai Jianming, Wang Guoxia, Yang Zhenshan

2007, 31(5):  9-19. 

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This paper discusses driving forces and types of migration in China,and forecasts migration trends and changes in spatial patterns of migration in the next 20 years.Finally the paper explores policy options that stimulate migration to occur orderly.Estimate of annual rural-urban migration during 2000-2020 is about 15 millions,and spatial patterns of future migration remain stable and changes will be small.The metropolitan areas will continue to be the major migration destinations.

Migration Selectivity in China: An Analysis Based on the 2000 Census Data

Tang Jialong, John Ma

2007, 31(5):  42-51. 

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Selectivity of human migration has long been the focus of demographers and economists.This paper goes into detail on the migration selectivity of Chinese migration in the transitional era of late 1990s,using the 2000 Chinese population census micro data.It reveals that the young adults and the more educated dominate the migrations stream with a more balanced sex ratio for the 15~29 age group,whereas more females in their early twenties are on the move than males.Meanwhile,the household registration system is the major determinants for migration decision and type of migration.

Socioeconomic Inequalities in Maternal Mortality in China

Wangbin, Gao Yanqiu

2007, 31(5):  66-74. 

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Maternal death equality indexes are calculated based on maternal health care data from the national health routine reports 2000~2005.Although materual mortality rate(MMR)decreased from 2000 to 2005,it is much higher in the western than in the eastern.China Poverty reduction could eliminate 53%~60% the MMR.The concentration indexes are all negative in the year of 2000~2005,and all the L(p)lies above the diagonal,inequalities in mortality favour the better-off women.More seriously,the MMR gap between the provinces and the regions largely unchanged during the year 2000~2005.That means the maternal death inequality exists in our country without any effective effort to eliminate it.

Trajectory of Changes in Human Life Expectancy in the World since the 1950s

Ren Qiang

2007, 31(5):  75-81. 

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At the start of the 21st century,the global population has reached 6 billions.The growth rate is significantly slower.Many countries completed their demographic transition;their TFRs are below the replacement level.Population health,meanwhile,has been improved remarkably-notable decline in mortality,as well as increase in life expectancy.This paper systematically analyzes the global trend,regional variation,as well as pattern in life expectancy in the past 50 years,using mortality data for 192 countries published by United Nations.The results indicate that life expectancy has been globally increasing for the last half century.More than 50 percent of the world’s population lives in countries or regions in which life expectancy is above 70 years old.The trends of life expectancy are diversified in that higher increase in less developed regions than in more developed regions,and the proportion of their population rose significantly.The largest increase in life expectancy occurred in Asia.While improvement in Africa is smaller than the world level,gaps among African countries or regions are great.

On Policy Coordination in Building a Harmonious Society

Yang Wenzhuang, Su Yang, Bao Fengyun, Yang Rui

2007, 31(5):  82-91. 

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While policies of generalized system of preferences(GSP)empowering and benefiting people are important means for building a harmonious society,some of the GSP policies are not consistent or even go contradictory to the national policy of family planning.This paper examines some of the GSP policies that run counter to the family planning policy,and discusses institutional determinants of the inconsistency.Lack of policy coordination mechanisms result in departmentalization of national obligations,and the major executing department of the national policy has not been adequately involved in formulating these GSP policies.Policy suggestions are discussed in the paper.