(ECNS) -- The permanent population sex ratio in northeast China's Liaoning province dropped to about 101 in 2014, making it likely to be the first province with a lower count of men to women in China, according to e.hsxiang.com.
Zhang Ke, a provincial member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Committee (CPPCC), made the statement at the Eleventh Session of the Twelfth CPPCC Liaoning Provincial Committee and described the present situation of population structure and impact in the area.
Accordingly, the population growth rate in Liaoning is stagnant. At the end of 2014, the resident population was 43.914 million, while the number will not exceed 44 million at the end of 2015.
The total fertility rate of the province decreased from 0.98 in 2000 to 0.74 in 2010, and remained far below the normal replacement rate, which means only seven births in 10 couples' lifetime.
Due to the rapid decline in fertility and a stable mortality rate, which makes Liaoning the country's only region with negative natural population growth, a population decrease will become the main future trend.
Data shows that the degree of aging in Liaoning leads the national average for five years ahead. According to the National Health and Family Planning Commission, healthy life expectancy per capita is about 78.6 years in Liaoning. That means ageing in the region will continue to improve in future.
