Scholars Comment on Public Demands for Tighter Restrictions on Rural Migrants

Citizen representatives invited to comment on Beijing's municipal development plans demanded tighter restrictions on rural migrants, including tough hukou (household registration) policies and strict controls on providing housing and employment to migrants, according to a Southern Daily article. Commentary by scholars that was posted on the East Day Web site, however, called for a more cautious approach.

The scholars questioned whether adopting stricter residence criteria is the most effective method to slow migration to urban areas. Noting that Chinese government overinvestment in urban areas has created an environment that attracts rural migrants to China's cities, the scholars suggested that refocusing development goals to emphasize building up China’s rural areas might slow rural migration to urban areas more effectively. The scholars also noted that municipalities should take the interests of migrants and rural residents into consideration when drafting development policies, rather than only considering the demands of established urban residents.