According to the fourth population census, the population of China was 1.13 billion in 1990 and will grow to 1.26 billion by the end of this century. During the ninth 5-year plan, the population of China will increase by 14 million annually, which will correspondingly require an additional supply of 400 thousand tonnes of textile fabrics. It is conservatively estimated that the requirement for fibre in China will rise from 4.54 kg per capita in 1995 to 5kg by the year 2000 and 6.4kg by the year 2010, although it will remain well below the world average. The textile industry is an important earner of foreign exchange. Thus, the Government will encourage the export of textile fabric and clothing.
Raw materials are of vital importance for the development of the textile industry.
Cotton still maintains a dominant position among the natural fibres supplied by the domestic market, with wool, ramie and silk of relatively minor importance. The annual output of cotton has fluctuated at around 4.2 million tonnes. However, cotton production will continue to be constrained by the availability of land. Thus, if the textile industry is to develop, this will be largely through the use of man-made fibres. The production of synthetic fibres, a major product of the petrochemical industry, is a focus of the ninth 5-year plan to the year 2010.