The premier International Conference on Population and Development of Asian Developing Countries was held in Kunming, Yunnan Province from August 7 to 9, 2018, which promoted academic exchanges on population & development among Asian developing countries as well as mutual understanding of population status quo. Jointly organized by China Population and Development Research Center, Institute of Population Research of Peking University, Institute of Population Research of Yunnan University, United Nations Population Fund, Netinsearch International Network for Integrative Research in Bangladesh and Department of Population Sciences of University of Dhaka of in Bangladesh, this conference attracted over 80 scholars from China, the U.S., India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Thailand.

Opening speech of the Conference

A Group Photo of Participants

Due to its profound influence on overall economic & social development and national future, population is crucial for the whole human society. China presents both similar and different population and development issues compared with other developing Asian countries like India and Bangladesh. Large population countries need to achieve demographic dividend from sound age structure of population and well-balanced development among population, resources and environment through concerted efforts with other countries. Many scholars were restricted to domestic population, but had little information about other countries’ population, economic and social development. In the conference, participants shared knowledge and research fruits in traditional demography like fertility, death and migration, and development-related issues including healthy life expectancy, human capital and evolvement, reproductive health, marriage and family, the youth and gender equality. The keynote speeches covered China's demographic transition by Professor Gu Baochang of Renmin University of China discussed; China's urbanization in light of population by Professor Luo Chun of Institute of Population Research of Yunnan University; and China’s new contraception tendency since the two-child policy is implemented by Liu Hongyan, Deputy Director of China Population and Development Research Center. Moreover, Masuda Kamal, Mokhles ur Rahman, Sadeka Halim and Mohamma Mainul Islam, scholars from International Network for Integrative Research in Bangladesh and Department of Population Science of University of Dhaka of in Bangladesh discussed with active participants on Bangladesh’s population development policy, youth unemployment, women development policy and demographic dividend. This conference was further enhanced by 12 seminars on marriage & family, fertility, death, health, migration and mobility, aging and social gender. Each seminar featured 3-4 speakers, the group discussion and professional comments, allowing participants to deeply understand every hot topics, current problems and policies relevant with population in countries and promoting exchanges among scholars.

Speech by Professor Luo Chun of Institute of Population Research of Yunnan University

Speech by Liu Hongyan, Deputy Director of CPDRC

Xu Xiaoyong, Associate Professor of Institute of Population Research of Yunnan University, presided the closing ceremony

Summary by Professor Qiao Xiaochun of Peking University

In this conference, relevant scholars and policymakers further understood status quo of population and development in other Asian developing countries, underpinning future deep cooperation and exchanges. Professor Qiao Xiaochun of Peking University, Professor Aka Firowz Ahmad of Department of Public Management of University of Dhaka, and Liu Hongyan, Deputy Director of China Population and Development Research Center, gave speeches at the closing ceremony, and highly praised conference achievements. Responding to the Belt and Road initiative, they sincerely hoped this conference would stimulate regular academic seminars and periodical exchange systems to jointly settle problems and challenges on population and development, improve human welfare, and build a Community of Shared Future for Mankind.