CHINA will ensure “orderly” migration of some 100 million rural workers into cities by 2020, supported by expanded social welfare and more job opportunities, the government said yesterday, as part of plans to push its urbanization program.

    Chinese leaders have pledged to loosen their grip on residence registration, or hukou, to try to remove obstacles to the urbanization drive. Such registrations prevent migrant workers and their families from getting access to education and social welfare outside of their home villages.

    China aims for 60 percent of the population of almost 1.4 billion to be living in cities by 2020, turning millions of rural dwellers into consumers who could be a driving force for the world’s second-largest economy.

    The government will ensure “an orderly transfer of rural population into urban areas,” loosening household registration restrictions in smaller cities more quickly, according to a guidance on the reform issued by the State Council.

    China’s 269 million rural migrant workers include some 166 million who have already entered cities.

    Local governments will set differentiated household registration policies based on their ability to absorb migrants and provide public services, according to the guidance.

    Migrants can settle in small cities freely as the hukou restrictions will be abolished, but curbs in medium cities will be loosened “in an orderly way,” the Cabinet said.

    The number of migrants moving into big cities with populations of between 3 million and 5 million will be “appropriately” controlled. Movements into megacities with more than 5 million people will be “strictly” controlled.

    Policies will favor rural migrants who have worked in cities for a long time and skilled workers who are more competitive in the labor market, according to the guidance.

    The government will expand the coverage of pensions, medical care for migrant workers entering cities and ensure equal access to education for their children, the State Council said.(SD-Agencies)