Male-female birth ratio improves in China

BEIJING - The annual male-female birth ratio in China was recorded 119 boys to 100 girls last year, narrowing the gap for the first time since 2006.

The figure indicated that 119.5 boys were born for every 100 girls and the widening gender gap was closing, Li Bin, director of China’s Population and Family Planning Commission, said Thursday.

China has seen the sex ratio at birth increasing since the 1980s and it was recorded as high as 130 males to 100 females in some provinces, China Daily reported.

Li called on authorities to continue to strive to close the gap as it was still deviated from the normal range.