In the first half of this year, Beijing's population continued to grow and its permanent registered population reached 11.706 million, an increase of 2 per cent over the same period of last year and higher than 1.5 per cent of the control goal set for this year, said Ding Xiangyang, director of the Beijing Municipal Commission for Development and Reform yesterday when delivering a report at the standing committee of the city's National People's Congress on the implementation of the 2005 Beijing National Economic and Social Development Plan for the first six months of this year, according to Beijing Times.

Yin Zhigang, director of Beijing Population Research Institute, said outsiders contribute the most to the population increase during an interview with reporters. Around 1994, the growth rate of immigrant population from other places was kept very low. However, in the recent several years, the number of immigrants increased sharply.

The director said by 2020, the total population of Beijing would be kept around 18 million, including 13.5 million permanent residents. In coming years, the annual growth rate of registered population will be kept under 1.5 per cent, which will not be allowed to break through, as it is the city's utmost bearing capacity. Accordingly, the control of population growth will be an imminent task.

by People's Daily Online