In Cairo, everyone agreed on the need to mobilize new financial resources - from within developing countries, and also from the international community. Since then, developing countries have proved their commitment. But they are cruelly limited in what they can achieve without outside help. In all cases, it is the people who suffer. They are entitled to expect more sympathy, and better treatment, from countries which are more fortunate.
China says it is aware of the grave challenges it faces in the field of population and development.
State Councillor Wang Zhongyu told the Assembly that the annual increase of about 12 million people to the population exerts great pressure upon China's socio-economic development, resource utilization, environmental protection and other undertakings such as education, medical care, housing, communications and transportation, employment and social security. He says the lack of sufficient funds makes its difficult to fully meet the people's needs for quality service in the area of reproductive health and family planning. First of all, the Chinese Government believes that the issue of population goes hand in hand with development. The population issue should be considered and addressed in the overall context of a country's national conditions as well as socio-economic development. Efforts should be exerted to develop a coordinated relationship between population growth and socio-economic development, resource utilization and environmental protection so as to achieve sustainable development.