Equal rights for Shenzhen's migrants

SHENZHEN: A new residence permit system will be launched next month, in a bid by authorities here to provide more equality for the city's 8 million migrant workers.

Any Chinese person, aged 16 to 60, who has been working in Shenzhen for more than 30 days but does not have a registered permanent residence, will be required to apply for a residence permit at their local police station, an interim regulation published yesterday said.

Wang Pu, director of the Shenzhen office of legislative affairs, said: "The introduction of the residence certificate system aims to gradually remove the barriers between the permanent and migrant populations, so the latter can enjoy the same treatment as local residents and regard the city as their home."