PIP: The population of China currently numbers more than 970 million. It has been increasing at an average rate of 19/1000 annually since the founding of the new China. The population in 1979 was 78% higher than in 1949. Significant achievements have been made in China's economic construction over the past few years, but a large part of the increase in national income has been used up by the needs of the growing population. In recent years the Chinese government and people have taken measures to solve this problem with fair results. The objective is to achieve planned and proportionate development of the means of production and of humankind itself. At the 2nd Session of the 5th National People's Congress last year, Premier Hua Guofeng proposed that the rate of population growth be gradually reduced to 5/1000 by 1985 and that by the year 2000 births and deaths should balance. This would mean that by then zero population growth rate should have been achieved. Special birth control departments and offices exist in all provinces, municipalities, districts, counties, government organs, and large industrial enterprises. There are family planning workers in every factory workshop and agricultural brigade who bring their services to each family and disseminate advice on birth control. The Chinese government is also implementing a policy that encourages couples to have only 1 child. Awards and benefits are given to couples who volunteer to have only 1 child. Notable results have been gained in family planning. A marked decrease has been registered in natural population growth from 12.1/1000 in 1977 to 12/1000 in 1978. Incomplete statistics show that nearly 4.5 million couples have already agreed to have only 1 child.