Chapter 10: China. PEOPLE / SOCIAL ISSUES 1.What is the Population of China?

Chapter 10:Chapter 10:ChinaChina

PEOPLE / SOCIAL ISSUES

• 1.What is the Population of China?


• 1.What is the Population of China?

• Over 1.3 billion people - 1/5th of the world’s population


• 2. Population Growth Rate = 1.1%

582 million in 1953

850 million in 1976

1.3 billion today

• Rapidly growing population


• 3. Where do most of the Chinese people live?



• On the eastern side of China

• 62% in rural areas and 38% urban

• But a serious urbanization movement – migration (China Blue)



• Why move to cities?


• 4. Population is a serious issue for Chinese Policy makers.

• 1965 – Mao said that an ever expanding population is a “good thing”.


• 4. Population is a serious issue for Chinese Policy makers.1974 – Mao denounced Pop. Control as more “Imperialistic Tools” to weaken developing countries


• 4. Mao’s successors realized the danger – pop. growth was consuming ½ of annual increase in GDP


• 4. In late 1970’s, new pop policy called “Two-Child Family” with gov’t services like birth control, education and abortions reduced birth rate


• 4. 1979, Deng Xiaoping sets out “One Child Policy” with incentives and penalties to limit families to 1 child.


• 4. “One Child Policy” incentives = encourage later marriages, free contraceptives, abortions and sterilization – more accepted in urban areas


• 4. “One Child Policy” Penalties = steep fines for more than 1 child and loss of privileges for violators


• 4. 1 Couple 1 Child

• Explain

• How did that work out for China?


• 5. 1 Couple 1 Child • Pros: more stable pop. Growth• reduced fertility rate – • 1971 women had 5.4 kids on average and

now in 2004 it was down to 1.7 kids• 21st century projection for decrease in

population


• 4. 1 Couple 1 Child = Cons:

• Rise in female infanticide

• Disproportionate # of males to females

• Harder for males to find wives

• Fewer sons to care for aging parents in traditional role


• 4. 1 Couple 1 Child Status Today:

• Relaxed in rural areas but back in 2002

• Officially banned BUT NOT really as many local political leaders are still held accountable for the population in their area


• 5. What else has China done about its pop problems?

• 2004 – banned selective abortions of female fetuses

• BUT folks still want their boys!


• 5. What else has China done about its pop problems? Gov’t encouraged and sponsored contraception

• 74% of women use it which is highest in Asia


• 5. Success? Maybe but still one baby is born every 2 seconds in China


• 6. Migration and China’s “Floating Population”

• What is this? See China Blue video



• Large # of people moving from the rural areas / countryside to the big cities

• From central and west to the east



• Why? Rapid reform era of economic development opens up jobs in factories AND modern agricultural practices reduce need for farm workers



• Gov’t Policy? Discourage migration – rule is that the floating people are NOT officially permitted to reside permanently in these towns and cities



• Gov’t Policy? Thousands of Tibetans cross into Nepal so the gov’t pressures Nepal to return these people and force them to stay in China


• 7. Question – Does China have a homogeneous population?


• 7. Ethnic Groups• China has a homogeneous pop with

92% Han Chinese


• 7. Ethnic Groups• But 8% of population / over 100

million people are from 55 other ethnic groups like the Zhuang, Manchu, Hui, Mongols, Tibetans, among others


• 7. Ethnic Groups

• Policy: All nationalities are equal according to the law

• The Constitution grants them the right of self-government but autonomy is very limited!



• Most minorities live in the “Autonomous” regions along the borders of China covering about 60% of China’s land area



• Mongols = near Mongolia

• Tibetans = in TAR

• Kazaks = along Kazakh Republic

• Uyghurs = in Xinjiang out west



• These groups have a long history of dissatisfaction with Chinese rule and want independence



• The Chinese government fears and opposes independence movements and uses the PLA to suppress expression of dissent


• 8. Languages – Official Lingo?


• 8. Languages – Official Lingo?• Mandarin or standard Chinese• Many other dialects flow from

Mandarin• Many other languages spoken by

other ethnic groups


• 8. Languages – What is Pinyin?


• 8. Languages – What is Pinyin?• Common written form of Chinese

language accepted by groups• System of phonetic spelling as a

way to increase literacy• It is required under law


• 8. Languages – In 2006, the govt forced 100 million people in Shanghai to use Mandarin as opposed to Shanghainese (Cantonese) language


• 8. Languages – In 2008, Hong Kong Minister of Education banned teaching in Cantonese because English speaking students did better in universities.


• 9. Religions – 1st – It is an issue as China was a communist regime which means atheism so religion was not tolerated


• 9. Religions – 2nd – Chinese Constitution protects freedom of religious belief

• But no one may use religious activities to disrupt public order


• 9. Religions – Confucianism is a philosophy still in existence in China

• It is a system of ethical conduct


• 9. Religions – Confucianism

• Promotes peace and harmony and good morals with reverence for one’s ancestors, family and superiors


• 9. Religions – Daoism and Buddhism are also common place in China


• 9. Religions – It is difficult to find accurate numbers of people and their religious beliefs due to nature of communist regime


• 9. Religions – Some underground communities of Protestants and Catholics


• 9. Religions – What is the Falun Gong?

• The Wheel of Law – established in 1992 with close to 100 million followers



• It is a quasi-religious movement based on traditional deep breathing exercises and Daoist and Buddhist practices



• So why do the Communist leaders want these people out of the picture?



• Perceived antigovernment activities and positions so it was outlawed in 1999

• Many arrested and “reeducated” through labor camps or placed in mental hospitals


• 10. Urban – Rural Cleavages

• Most econ growth takes place in urban eastern areas so increase in income gap between urban and rural peoples = called “Two Chinas”!!!



• This led to a divide in social and cultural lifestyles from urban to rural areas and a migration of people from farms to industrial centers



• This led to protests and dissent in rural areas over tax policies and corruption in government



• In 2006, PM Wen Jiabao set out policy of “New Socialist Countryside” to improve the rural economy and slow down migration of people (TVE’s)


• 11. Education

• What is the Literacy Rate in China?


• 11. Education

• What is the Literacy Rate in China? 90.9 %

• Is this a good number?


• 11. Education is controlled by the Ministry of Education

• Average 6.2 years of ed. But goal was upped to 9 years by 2000


• 11. EDUCATION –

• free primary ed for five years at age 7

• Then 5 years of secondary ed from 12 to 17

• Attendance rates drop from 99% for primary to 80% for higher levels


• 11. EDUCATION –

• Free higher ed was abolished in 1985 so now candidates compete with each other for scholarships and admissions


• 12. Health care in China• Gov’t sponsored health care• But not enough doctors and

hospitals • Most medical care is concentrated

in cities and on the eastern side


• 12. Health care in China

• Policy? Gov’t set up a 5 year plan (again!) to invest $2.4 billion into rebuilding rural medical services, clinics and hospitals


• 12. Health Issues

• Hepatitis B outbreaks

• SARS – vaccine in 2004

• Bird Flu

• HIV / AIDS on the rise


• 12. Health Issues – But the big deal is environmental

• 2002 – only 92% urban and 68% rural had access to improved water supply

• Only 69% urban and 29% rural had access to improved sanitation facilities

Chapter 10: China. PEOPLE / SOCIAL ISSUES 1.What is the Population of China?

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