Outrage 'The cruel hukou system must stop'

摘要

The population of Shanghai Municipality is now 21 million. At least four million of these are migrant labourers who may now make up as much as 25 per cent of the workforce. They are part of China's 'floating population', many of whom who have no legal rights to health or education and who have for the same reason - their illegal and informal status - much worse conditions in which to live and work than do the settled Shanghainese. And this problem is repeated in all Chinese cities. Even though many of these migrants to the city are planned and welcomed, urbanisation also makes them prey to an unplanned and discriminatory social process. Encouraged, but not endorsed by the state, the migrants are victims of the hukou registration system, which determines a person's status at birth - urban, rural (and semi-urban).