Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, August 10, 2003
North China Province Abolishes Unfair Residence System
North China's Hebei province announced Monday its intention to replace the existing residence registration system as of October 1, making it easier for farmers to move to urban areas as permanent residents.
North China's Hebei province announced Monday its intention to replace the existing residence registration system as of October 1, making it easier for farmers to move to urban areas as permanent residents.
Cao Aiping, vice-director of the Public Security Department, said the new system makes it much easier for farmers to move to urban areas as permanent residents if they meet certain conditions.
According to the new system, a legal permanent residence, stable occupation or sources of income are essential for farmers to be qualified as permanent urban residents.
Under the new system, farmers who move to urban areas as permanent residents will enjoy equal treatment with other permanent residents.
The residence registration system in place for the past severaldecades discouraged farmers from moving to urban areas, where urban citizens have access to better medical and training services,and more job opportunities compared to their compatriots toiling on farms.
Many areas on the Chinese mainland, including Guangdong Province, south China, have in the past two years overhauled theirresidence registration systems to facilitate the process of urbanization.
The traditional residence registration system was introduced inthe 1950s, which divided the whole population into two categories,those engaged in farming and non-farming sectors.
Under the traditional arrangement, the farmers' children virtually inherited their parents' residence registration categories and do the same job in the same areas.
Only a small number were able to live and work as permanent urban citizens, and only if they found a job after graduation from college, or were allocated jobs by the government after they completed their military service.