An Overview of Migration in China since 1978

Abstract

All authorities agree that the scale of internal migration in China increased enormously with the advent of the economic reforms. Migration and the problems to which it gives rise have been investigated and discussed exhaustively since the mid-1980s by policymakers, academics and the popular press. Yet much remains uncertain. Even the number of migrants is disputed, as we have seen: figures commonly given for the migrant population vary from 40 to 80 million, but can go as high as 100 million.¹ There are obvious reasons for this difficulty. The first problem is that of definition. Who is a migrant? How long do migrants have to stay away from home to be so classified? How far do they have to have moved and what boundaries must they have crossed? When do they cease to be migrants and count as settled population? Do all those who move count as migrants no matter what their motivation? The woman quoted at the beginning of the chapter illustrates the difficulty. She did not identify herself as a migrant, yet as she was about to start her third lengthy stay in Chengdu, her travels, if recorded, would have increased the count of population movements within the province by three. She saw herself only as a visitor to the city, but might well have become a labour migrant if the opportunity had been offered.

No, I’m not a migrant, I’ve just come to Chengdu to see my sister. She is working here. I came last year twice too. Looked at the shops, walked about a lot, saw the city and then went home. Of course, if I found a job, I might stay, but I’m not one of those floating population. I’m not a migrant, no.

(interview with young rural woman, Chengdu Railway Station 1994)