Migration and Development in China: Introduction

Migration and development are two highly interdependent processes. In China, economic reforms have unleashed over 200 million migrants who have moved across the county,¹ and they have contributed to growth and changes in the destination cities and places of origin. Indeed, postreform development in China has been a dynamic process through which remarkable economic success has been witnessed, but people’ s productivity, creativity, and choices have also broadened. After 30 years of rapid economic growth and urbanization, China’ s level of urbanization surpassed 50 percent, and its economy is entering a period of “new normal” with slower economic growth but greater attention to growth quality, social equality, environmental protection, and sustainable development. It is important to understand the relationship between migration and development, which will be useful for development and migration policy making.

The relationship between migration and development has been a tricky question, as each affects the other. Many studies have been conducted on regional development and migration in China.² Some migration studies have attempted to identify the impact of social and economic development on migration especially determinants of migration.³ But no systematic study has examined the link between migration and development in China. Dramatic changes in the Chinese landscape of urban and regional development as well as the increasing scale of internal migration ask for detailed studies on the link between migration and development. Both macro and micro data can be used in the study using either a qualitative or quantitative approach. To understand the relationship between migration and development, the following issues can be explored. First is the process of migration and settlements in responding to urban and regional development. How do migrants respond to development opportunities, and what is their preference regarding acquiring a local hukou (戶口 household registration) and settling down in urban destinations? Second is the issue of spatial mobility, social mobility, and social integration. Social status and social integration of migrants are important development questions. Third is labor market performance. The economic status and performance of migrants are also important issues in development. Last is the issue of migration and development. Does migration affect urban and regional development positively or negatively?

The articles included in this special issue advance the understanding of migration and development in China by addressing the above issues. This introduction summarizes the major findings and contributions of these articles and suggests directions for future research. The articles for this special issue were prepared by authors who presented at the “Migration and Development in China” session, sponsored by the China Specialty Group, Population Specialty Group, and Economic Geography Specialty Group of the Association of American Geographers (AAG),⁴ at the 2015 annual AAG meeting in Chicago on 21–25 April 2015.

Chen and Fan’ s article explores a hukou-related conundrum: rural migrants do not want an urban hukou. Using data from the Floating Population Dynamic Monitoring Surveys 2010–2012, they found that more than 60 percent of the respondents indicated that they planned to stay at the destination city for at least five years, but only half of the respondents would wish to transfer their hukou to the destination city if there were no other conditions.

Chen and Fan show how the respective values of rural hukou and urban hukou have changed in recent decades. During the process of urbanization and development, the benefits tied to rural hukou have been increased dramatically, related largely to land value, including farming and housing land, and compensation for land requisition. In the meantime, the value of urban hukou has declined due to market reform and reduced state sponsorship of urban residents. Another reason is the mismatch between rural migrants’ preference for large cities and hukou reforms’ focus on medium-sized and small cities and towns. As a result, rural migrants prefer to keep their rural hukou status and engage in circulative migration. Chen and Fan conclude that as long as rural migrants have no reasonable and reliable means to access housing, employment, health care, education for their children, and social insurance in the city, they will continue to rely on rural...