Economic Planning and Population,
Water Resources, and Food Production in China
Wang Xiaofeng
Lecturer, Population Research Institute
Northeast Asian Studies College of Jilin University
Economic Planning and Conditions of Population, Water
Resources, and Food Production in China
Since its 'open-door' policy toward reform of 1978, the Chinese economy as well as Chinese society has made remarkable progress. The objective of increasing gross national product (GNP) fourfold by the year 2000 was attained ahead of schedule in 1995 through the three Five Year plans commencing from 1980. In 1996, the Government set forth "The Ninth Five Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, and Outline of Long Term Objectives towards 2010", to set new goals. It aims to control the population within 1.3 billion until 2000, quadruple the 1980 per-capita GNP by 2000, and double the 2000 GNP in 2010 while holding the population within 1.4 billion. If these objectives are accomplished, the country's social productivity, total national strength and the people's living standards will all considerably improve, and the base for the goal of virtually completing modernization in the mid 21st century will be firmly established. These objectives are attainable, yet involve a number of problems, since various economic and social factors will have more or less impact on the attainment of them, either favorably or unfavorably. Analyses of those factors and proposal of necessary measures will play important roles in leading the country toward smooth accomplishment of its objectives. There is no room for doubt that population, water resources and food production are the key factors to modernization of China.
1. Economic Development and Food Production
As Chinese agriculture has been built on a weak base, it is not sufficiently responsive to the demands of population growth, improvement of living standards, and economic development. Sustainable and steady development of agriculture and rural economies is, therefore, a very important but most difficult issue in China's economic development. Nonetheless, its food production has shown a remarkably stable improvement in the process of the country's economic growth.
