Farmers in Chongqing say ‘no thanks’ to hukou – GlobalTimes

farm in Chongqing

Remarkable developments in China’s hukou discussion. The hukou, a registration system for urban and rural dwellers, divides the Chinese people in two. Recently, the Chongqing government announced to change its policy:

The Chongqing government announced a major policy change in July that would turn 10 million farmers into urban residents by 2020. People with rural registration, or hukou, do not presently enjoy healthcare, education and social insurance benefits that urban residents receive in many cities.

People reacted different than expected:

Just 44,700 rural residents in Chongqing had changed their hukou to urban residents as of August 31, the Chongqing Daily reported earlier.

The reason?

Chen Yue, deputy head of the Village Institute at the Chongqing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Beijing News that compared with rural people, urban residents face more pressure in terms of finding jobs, buying apartments, educational fees, and medical expenses, all sources of frustration for most rural people.

Farmers in Chongqing say ‘no thanks’ to hukou – GlobalTimes.

Global Times – Change in residence permits won’t solve all problems

By Huang Jingjing

A nationwide push to let the migrant population enjoy the same benefits given to permanent residents by reforming hukou, or household registration system, is gaining support in many cities. But some experts warned that the migrant population could remain on the sidelines despite changes in the rules. Read the rest of this entry »

Urban Chinese Protest Rural Land & Housing Policies Unfair | chinaSMACK

Chinasmack, the site that translates Chinese blogs in English, posted this very interesting discussion in which blogger “美奴bj”, a Chinese urban resident and is “protesting” the national policies that he/she considers unfair to urban residents. Read it, and read the reactions!

Urban Chinese Protest Rural Land & Housing Policies Unfair | chinaSMACK.

SCMP: Shanghai to reform hated residency registration

South China Morning Post, Will Clem in Shanghai, Oct 14, 2009

Shanghai will separate social welfare benefits from the household registration system in another step to reform the notorious hukou policy,

The proposals are intended to sharply increase access to public services such as child care, education and health and elderly care for the city’s six million non-permanent residents.
Read the rest of this entry »