Thirteen provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in China have so far abolished a significant Hukou or residential division, according to a latest announcement revealed Tuesday by the website of the Ministry of Public Security.

The abolishment of the divisive system means that the barrier between rural and urban areas has been pulled down. All residents living in these regions, no matter whether they were born in city or the country, can enjoy equal social access to medical services, education and housing.

Under the existing Hukou policy, every citizen in China must have a registration record. The key factor in deciding where to register one's Hukou is where their parents' residential records were registered. Migrant workers born in rural areas, for that reason, are on the whole unable to enjoy the same social welfare as enjoyed by their urban counterparts, even though they have worked and lived in cities for years.

An example of this is that migrant workers have to pay additional school fees if their children want to study in the city instead of rural schools, compared with urban residents.

To date, 13 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities which have removed the over five-decade long Hukou barriers include Hebei, Liaoning, Guangxi and Chongqing.

(CRI December 10, 2008)