Since 1988, rural-to-urban migration has become an important social and economic phenomenon in China. Along with the rapid economic growth and urbanization, an increasing share of the country’s rural population has joined this internal movement or exodus, seeking for better life prospects in China’s booming cities. Despite its importance, however, this particular group of population (rural-urban migrants) is almost invisible in most Chinese official statistics. With support from PEP, a team of Chinese researchers set out to identify and study the levels and changes in wage inequality among Chinese rural-urban migrants, from 2002 to 2007. They managed to build a unique dataset that allowed them to document and analyze changing in wage inequality among both migrants and urban natives in this specific period. Based on the outcomes on their analysis, the researchers conclude with the recommendation that the government should undertake fundamental reform of the Household Registration (Hukou) System and its internal migration policy. Find out more about the research findings and outcomes that have led to such conclusion through the following PEP publications:
