Rural residents in Guangzhou will find it easier to apply for urban hukou (permanent residence) as the city strives to accelerate urban development in its 15 "key towns."

According to an urban plan published by the municipal government Monday, rural hukou-holders in Guangzhou will be illegible for urban hukou in key towns where they have a regular occupation and residence.

The 15 towns were selected by the government earlier this year as urban development pilots. They would become modernized satellite towns within five to 10 years, each covering some 20 square kilometers and with a population of 200,000, the government plan said.

To speed up the plan, the city will inject 15 million yuan (US$1.8 million) a year into each town for the next five years, 10 million from the municipal government and the rest from district governments.

From next year, the city will also provide subsidies to impoverished villages while encouraging their surplus labor to move to markets in the 15 towns.

Some towns have started to boost rural economies in nearby areas. Xintang Village has become a pillar in Zengcheng area, with almost half Zengcheng's GDP and absorbing tens of thousands of rural residents into its clothing and manufacturing industries.

(Shenzhen Daily September 22, 2004)