Case Study → Rural-Urban Migration within China

Context

● 📝 Example of internal migration ● Rapid industrialisation began when government reforms allowed foreign investment in Chinese industry

Migrants

● Estimated that more than 200 million rural migrants are currently working in China's cities w/ around 20 mil arriving in cities each yr ○ Between 150 and 250 mil Chinese have moved w/in China since 1978 (largest migration in history) ■ Net losers are central provinces ■ E coastal areas majority gain ○ Before the 1978 economic reforms, 20% of China's population lived in cities, in 2020, risen to 60% ● Has 40 mil construction workers

| Benefits | ● Gave many Chinese cities a 'site factor' which helped to attract FDI (ie. large, cheap
labour force)
● Chinese gov authorisation of free movement can be viewed as a success:
○ Allowed China to benefit from Globalisation
○ Migrant miracle • underpinned 30 yrs of rapid economic growth |

| Future | ● Over next 30yrs, up to 400 ml more people count move to China's cities
|

•                                                Rural-Urban Migration within China*