1. South China Morning Post
Founded in 1903. Morning Post Centre, Dai Fat Street, Tai Po
f n forming harsh system
u is better
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than nothing
a hen it comes to economic development, there is not
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one China but several. The rich coastal regions are the
envy of those who live in the rural and much poorer
interior. This has caused an unprecedented mass
migration inthe pasttwo decades bypeoplein search
ofjobs and a better life. But the pace of urbanisation; breathtaking
though it is, cannot keep up with the population pressure.
Draconian measures - based on the old permanent household
registration system- or hukou - not only fail to stem the tide but
make migrants more vulnerable to exploitation.
T}ae hukou, introduced in the 1950s, forces people to stay in their
designated areas, outside ofwhich they are denied essential social
services and even job opportunities. Some of its harsher measures
are now being reversed, especially in Guangdong, which has more
migrent workers than any other province. Rudimentarypension,
unemployment and industrial injury insurance have been
introduced since the start of the financial crisis. These are a step in
the right direction, but need to be extended much f,rther to truly
benefit Guangdong's 26 million migrant workers. Other provinces H
shotrld follow its example.
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Now Guangdong plans to experiment with a points system by
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which qualified migrants can eam permanent residenry. The
scheme targets migrants with higher education, special skills and
financial resources. It largely resembles the qualified migrant
scheme used inHong Kongto screen for applicantswhosepresence d
or skills are consideredbeneficialto the city. Underthe Guangdong ft
system, migrants who score high points will enjoy social services.
The more points eamed, the more benefits become available. For tr
example, those who accumulate 70 points will qualiSr for health care H
not only for themselves but for their children. Eighty points will w
enable one's children to attend free public schools. But onlythose
with a fi:ll 100 points will qualiff for household residence. To the $
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extent that the system, believed to be a first on the mainland, will
extend social welfare to more people, it should be welcomed. But it
aims to benefit only a small number of privileged migrants.
Most migrant workers simply lack the special skills and resorrrces
the system looks for. Such workers have laboured for years outside
ther hukou artd find themselves, along with their spouses and
children, treated like second-class citizens. Their sweat and blood
have helpedbuildthe glittering cities alongthe mainland's southem
coast. Yet without a social safety net, they are easily exploited by
unscrupulous bosses who realise theyare underpressure to keep
their jobs to feed themselves and their families. In major cities such
as Shenzhen, up to half the working popr-rlation is made up of
migrantworkers.
UnfortLrnately,the hukouis Iikelyto be retained in the near
future. Like the mainland's one-child policy, it has, to an extent,
helped maintain social stabilily and avoid widespread disruption.
But its strict application is often seen by critics as a gross violation of
human rights. Realistically, though, the mainland is not rich enough
to enable people to move andwork free$ across the country. Still,
this does not justifu denying basic rights and services to long-time
migrant workers. They deserve better for the back-breaking
contributions theyhave made to the nation's economy. Mainland
authorities needto extendthe social safetynet and devise amore
equitablewelfare system to mitigate the harsher effects ofthe hukou
system and, eventually, to replace it.