By Ke Yanghua & Zhang Li, Research Department of Social Development, DRC

Research Report, No.319, 2020 (Total 6063) 2020-12-31

Abstract: From 2014 to 2019, China’s urbanization rate dropped for four consecutive years with significantly decelerated urbanization move. The gap between the urbanization rate of registered urban population and that of permanent population in cities has barely narrowed since 2015, standing at a level of over 16 percent. The contribution of rural-urban migration to urbanization drive has declined. Meanwhile, the new-generation migrant workers have different concepts on social values and hold different views on employment options and they cherish increasing willingness and ability to move their families to urban areas and settle down in cities. However, the constraints for them to enjoy public services and social security caused by the household registration scheme has made urbanization become a non-smooth sailing. To address the problem of semi-urbanization, it is urgent for related departments to remove hurdles through taking relevant measures in line with the changing situation and laws of population mobility. Based on the number of permanent population, efforts need to focus on an overall planning of public services supply, including the provision of basic public services such as affordable housing and children’s education. Efforts are also needed to improve the social security system covering all mobile residents and adapting to population flow, reform the cost-sharing mechanism for the urbanization of migrant workers, improve planning services and promote people-centered urbanization in the new era.

Keywords: urbanization in the new era, public services, household registration