Residency permits are a tricky issue

The Shanghai government finally opened the door a crack to allow some temporary residency permits to be converted to permanent ones. Surprisingly, this major and well-intentioned step is under fierce attack. Such a brave forward movement deserves at least a measure of compliments.

The main criticism of the new policy is that it discriminates against the poor - the migrant workers - who they think are excluded from the possibility of obtaining Shanghai hukou. As a strong advocate for the rights of underprivileged people, I don't view a permanent resident permit (or hukou) as a must-have right for migrant workers, who, as the matter of fact, may not plan to settle in Shanghai in the first place.

After all, what's the big deal about hukou anyway? With the sustainable development of our economy, social security and medical insurance, in the foreseeable future, I believe that China's hukou system will undergo a profound revolution. When that happens, the once painful struggle to achieve a hukou may become a remote memory and matter of ridicule.

From the viewpoint of the rights of migrant workers, there are issues far more important than a resident permit. When we have a mature and comprehensive social security system in place, which acts as a backbone of support for migrant workers, hukous will have little effect on our thinking.

As a sign of China's democratic reform, nowadays people like to talk about equal rights for all people. But as Aristotle put it: The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal. The Shanghai government is grappling with the first step towards equality, and understandably, it cannot be perfect at this stage. As a matter of fact, few could have come up with a better idea that meets everyone's need with the promise of a fair deal to all.

Tell me which groups of hard working people don't deserve hukou in Shanghai? But, if the government left the door wide open, wouldn't it upset local residents who have to face the pressure in every way?

It is unfair to criticize a bold action with good intentions. The first wave of such actions may incline to favor more educated people, who may be prone to settle in permanently. The other way of seeing it is as a stimulus to let people pay more attention to education. No one complains about the increasing income gap between the well-educated ones and the others. At the same time, more efforts should be put in to improve the working and living conditions of migrant workers. It is important to build up a strong social support system for ensuring that migrant workers have an easier life in their adopted city and a bright future in their native place when they decide to go back.

Huan Yan

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(China Daily 06/25/2009 page8)