According to the news of May 9, 2002 from China News Service (CNS) in Beijing, the fifth census in China indicates that the sex proportion of the newborn boys and girls in the country is 116.86 percent in 2000. In line with this proportion, the department of population and social science of the State Statistics Administration is of the opinion that the high tendency in sex proportion of newborn boys and girls is still a bothering problem in China.

The sex proportion of newborn children is reflected in the ratio relationship of numbers between boys and girls at the time of childbirth, the normal expression being a hundred of live newborn girls against the newborn live boys. According to the long observation in the world, the normal sex proportion of newborn children is relatively stable and steadfast, being somewhere between 103 to 107 in general. The sex proportion of newborn children and the followed mortality rate in different age groups decide jointly the sex constitution of a population colony. They exercise a direct influence on the form and formation of marriage and families, thereby exerting an important and profound influence on the healthy development of society and economy.

Through the comparison of the result from the census in 2000 with the results obtained in previous censuses and with that of one-hundredth sample census the State Statistic Administration comes to a conclusion that the high tendency of sex proportion hasn't seen any decline in recent years but instead it sees a continued upward trend.

The 3rd census in 1982 showed a sex proportion of 108.5 percent, the one-hundredth sample census in 1987 a proportion of 110.9 percent, the 4th census in 1990 a proportion of 111.3 percent while that of the one-hundredth sample census in 1995 was 115.6 percent. However it rose to 116.9 percent in 2000. From the very debut of tending high in 1982 it has developed to be over 10 percentage points higher than the world-acknowledged scope as in nowadays.

Meanwhile, the investigation also shows that the sex proportion of the newborn children in 2000 in all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities except that of Tibet and Xinjiang is each and every out from the normally proportionate scope. That of Hainan and Guangdong in particular is extremely so as to reach 135.6 and 130.3 percent respectively.

The statistic data further indicate that the high tendency in sex proportion of the newborn children in 1990s was mainly manifested in the countryside. Besides, judging from the result of the census in 1990, the sex proportion of the first newborn children is 105.2 percent, that of the second newborn children is 121 percent, and that of the third and above the 127 percent. To the year of 2000, the proportion of the first, second and third and above is respectively 107.1, 151.9 and 159.4 percent. This shows very clearly that the sex proportion of the first newborn children is very much in the normal. However, starting from the second children onwards, the sex proportion tends drastically high with that of the third newborn children and above to be even higher.

As expert and official concerned point out that the long-term high tendency in sex proportion of the newborn children will necessarily lead to the disproportion of male and female population in matrimonial age group, and further the eruption of sharp competition for marriage among masculine population, thereby entailing a series of such problems as swindling and selling women and unstable family relations, etc. And this will further endanger the healthy and stable development of society and economy, for which we must take great account and find out ways and means to solve the problem as soon as possible.

( May 10, 2002)