A Chinese government advisor has predicted that the rural population of China may drop to 400-million from the current 900-million in the next three decades.

According to the Beijing News, Han Jun, an expert on rural policy at the Development Research Center, a think tank that advises the State Council, reveals that the total rural population includes 720-million living in the countryside and 180-million living in cities for more than half-a-year. With the increased urbanization, the transfer of labor from rural to urban areas is a deep-seated trend and one that China should not impede.

"More and more rural residents seek to live in cities and become 'new citizens' there," Han said.

Younger migrants flock to big cities for better job opportunities. The latest statistics show that China currently has roughly 240-million migrant workers, and about half of them were born after 1980 with 40-million born in the 90's. "The post-80s and post-90s are reluctant to go back to the countryside and are eager to be new residents in cities, and they claim the same equal rights as citizens," Han said. A policy paper released last month made it clear that the government is "striving for substantial reform of the household registration system" to allow migrants, especially younger ones, to register in cities. China will grant younger migrant workers more social service benefits and help them rent or buy homes in smaller cities. "Giving people a sense of happiness is most important in the reform of the household registration system. To reach that goal, there is still a long distance to go," Han concluded.

(CRIENGLISH.com February 24, 2010)