China has 245 mln migrant population

A new government report indicates the migrant population in China hit 245-million as of the end of last year.

This is more than one-sixth of the overall population.

Wang Qian with the National Health and Family Planning Commission says the same analysis shows it's not just young people making the move.

"First of all, the trend of people moving into big cities has not changed. Big cities like Beijing and Shanghai are absorbing more migrants. But secondly, the average age of the migrant population is rising. Migrant workers are getting married and having children at older ages than before."

One of the challenges the authorities are trying to deal with is health care, as the current Hukou system leaves many migrant workers without access to basic social services.

Song Shuli with the National Health and Family Planning Commission says this is a priority in their work.

"The government is making moves to try to balance basic health care management in both urban and rural areas, speed up the transfer of personal information, diversify the ways migrant workers can be reimbursed for their health care costs, and strengthen the oversight and management of the medical system to improve both its management and service."

The same study has also found close to two-thirds of migrant couples have brought their children with them.