Beijing will abolish the Management Regulation on Migrant Workers and Businesspeople in March, sources from the capital's Municipal People's Congress Standing Committee said on Tuesday.

It had been introduced in July 1995 to regulate numbers coming to Beijing to find jobs or conduct business.

Zhou Jidong, director of the municipal legal affairs office, said the regulation goes against the spirit of equality.

"Most stipulations in the regulation will be abolished. But those in line with national laws and regulations will continue to be effective, such as the temporary residence certificate and family planning," said Zhou.

Implementation of some stipulations has already ceased for not complying with the Administrative Permit Law, which went into effect last July to standardize the conduct of government departments. Stipulations restricting migrant workers to certain jobs and to collect service management fees have already been abolished.
 
Zhou also said many problems are yet to be solved. The increase in the migrant population will certainly put pressure on the environment and resources and intensify water, gas, heating and coal shortages.

Zhang Zhengyu, deputy chief of the employment department of the Beijing Municipal Labor and Social Security Bureau, said the government should change from managing migrant workers to offering services to them.

Safeguards on the rights of migrant workers, mainly focusing on salary payment, labor contract signing and social insurance payment, will be strengthened this year, according to Zhang.

Beijing, as an open municipality, should treat residents and migrant workers equally without contrived discrimination in policies and regulations, said Zhou.

Zhang agreed, saying that after the regulation is abolished, migrant workers and businesspeople can, like those with permanent Beijing residence, choose any job without restrictions or extra charges. They only have to sign a regular labor contract with the companies they work for.

(China.org.cn by Yuan Fang, February 24, 2005)