Why is Zhejiang lifting household registration restrictions at this time? Expert interpretation: Further consideration is needed for Zhejiang Province to promote the implementation of the basic public service system in permanent residences and orderly promote the urbanization of agricultural transfer population. Implementation plan | Policies | Restrictions

Lower the threshold for household registration,

Zhejiang has a new plan.

Recently, the website of the People's Government of Zhejiang Province announced the "Implementation Plan for Promoting the Implementation of the Basic Public Service System in Permanent Residences and Orderly Promoting the Citizenization of Agricultural Transfer Population in Zhejiang Province", which clarifies the comprehensive cancellation of household registration restrictions in the province, and further liberalizes and relaxes the household registration conditions for agricultural transfer population.

Screenshot of Provincial Government Website

A stone stirs up a thousand waves,

The news quickly made it onto the hot topic search list,

The media are using "amplification tactics" one after another

To describe this adjustment.

Under high attention,

Zhejiang's new policy for household registration

What impact will it have?

What further measures need to be refined in the future?

The trendy news reporter chatted with several experts.

Why is Zhejiang lifting household registration restrictions at this time?

"The comprehensive relaxation of the household registration policy is something that our academic community has been promoting for a long time. Resident migration is a very important economic activity, and we should try our best to eliminate various obstacles so that it can operate conveniently, autonomously, and at a low cost." Zhuo Yongliang, Director of the New Economic Development Research Center of the Tsinghua Yangtze River Delta Research Institute and former Director of the Zhejiang Provincial Development and Reform Research Institute, answered the phone with a tone full of joy.

Mi Hong, director of the Population Big Data and Policy Simulation Research Base at the School of Public Administration of Zhejiang University, also praised Zhejiang's move as a precautionary measure in an interview with Chao News. "Although it is said that the net inflow of population in Zhejiang is in the leading position in the country, the net inflow of population has declined from 2010 to 2020, and then to these three years. And there are signs that the migrant population is now flowing in nearby. Especially after the COVID-19 epidemic, the rapid development of double circulation in various places has actually had a significant impact on Zhejiang's export-oriented economy. Zhejiang is preparing for this step." Mi Hong said.

Why did Zhejiang choose to lift household registration restrictions at this time? Mi Hong further mentioned that Zhejiang has always had hidden concerns about population development, which is insufficient endogenous population growth. What is endogenous population growth? It refers to the local population of Zhejiang, that is, the population with registered residence in Zhejiang. The birth rate of the population has always been sluggish and weak, and in many places it is even declining or even experiencing negative growth. Zhejiang is now taking precautions and focusing efforts on this issue to attract population settlement as a leverage, which will have a certain effect in the future. Of course, he personally believes that this effect is limited.

How to guide after lifting household registration restrictions?

Experts bluntly state that lifting restrictions on household registration is only the first step. Afterwards, there is still a lot of homework to do.

Zhuo Yongliang proposed that after the lifting of household registration restrictions, Zhejiang needs to continuously improve basic public services for migrant populations, strengthen Zhejiang's highly inclusive social and cultural culture, especially the issue of medical treatment for elderly people who have moved with them. The Chao News reporter noticed that the "Implementation Plan" does mention expanding the scope of designated medical institutions for medical treatment across provinces and regions, so that migrant populations and their families can enjoy the benefits brought by Zhejiang's development, further enhancing their sense of happiness and gain.

"The biggest attraction of Zhejiang to the migrant population lies in its economic vitality, which must be maintained." Zhuo Yongliang believes that as Zhejiang continues to develop its economy, it must make efforts to "expand the cake" on the supply side. In addition, he believes that further strengthening of urban construction is necessary. Cities are the main platform for attracting foreign populations. With the relaxation of household registration policies in various regions, it is necessary to do a good job in urban planning and orderly promote the transformation and upgrading of "urban villages".

Mi Hong, who has been studying population policies for a long time, also serves as the Dean of the Development Research Institute of Ningbo University of Engineering. His consistent view is that Zhejiang needs to guide young and middle-aged talents suitable for industrial development to settle down, in order to drive the internal population growth of Zhejiang province.

"Actually, I don't think there's a need to worry too much. A few years ago, big cities like Hangzhou and Ningbo, including Wenzhou and Jinhua, had families with middle-aged and young people moving in. Next year and the following year will be a traditional year for China's population, and there will be an increase in fertility. I think Zhejiang will take the lead. College students who have settled in Zhejiang one after another are now basically stable in their jobs."

What is the significance of farmers settling down in cities?

What is the significance of Zhejiang's comprehensive promotion of urbanization of agricultural migrant population?

"The urbanization of agricultural household registration is very meaningful. It can promote the urbanization of some rural populations in Zhejiang Province, especially in the 26 mountainous counties of Zhejiang. Zhejiang has once again promoted the urbanization of agricultural labor force, extending an olive branch, attracting not only the agricultural population within Zhejiang Province, but also farmers from outside Zhejiang. For example, farmers in Anhui, Jiangsu, and Shanghai surrounding Zhejiang."

After the implementation of the policy of relaxing household registration restrictions, the middle-aged and elderly population may increase. Insiders have pointed out that it is possible to allow farmers in 26 mountainous counties, especially middle-aged and elderly farmers, to transfer their land back to the collective hands and carry out large-scale agricultural technology improvement.

"I think we can't just talk about bringing in these people, but also find ways to keep them. Settling down should play its role, so that new citizens can live better and have better development in the city. After the introduction, we still need to continue to care and promote, and the government should have a long-term consideration." Mi Hong said.