Equal residential rights urged for migrant workers

A member of China's top political advisory body has called on authorities to grant equal access to public services for urban migrant workers.

"The new generation of migrant workers have become a mainstay of the country's work forces and their hope lies in the cities," said Li Qingyun, a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee.

Li made the remarks at a Wednesday meeting of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee.

A survey conducted in over 20 Chinese cities in 2011 and published in April this year revealed that about 80 percent of migrant workers said they would remain in the cities for a long period of time even without a "hukou," or urban household registration certificate that acts as a permanent residential permit.

Only 8.9 percent said they were willing to return to and settle in their rural hometowns in the future.

Migrant workers are having difficulties obtaining household registration certificates for urban areas, as well as being fully accepted by urban society, Li said.

As urban residents, migrant workers should have equal access to housing, employment, education, medical services and social security, as the urban residents, he said.

Li called on the government and society to act more compassionately toward migrant workers and make efforts to help them adjust to urban life.