(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-01-23 07:20

When the government recognizes the contributions non-permanent residents make to GDP, it should also give them equal access to welfare programs, says an article in Beijing News. The following is an excerpt:

Beijing's GDP exceeded 900 billion yuan ($122 billion) last year, which translates into a per capita figure of $7,370 if we take into account all of Beijing's 16.33 million residents, including those who do not have hukou, or permanent residence.

The per capita figure is based on the number of all residents in Beijing, instead of the 12 million people with permanent residence. Non-permanent residents contributed approximately 240 billion yuan to the city's GDP last year, or about a quarter of the total.

But despite the wealth they generate, non-permanent residents do not have the same access to welfare services as registered permanent residents. For example, they cannot buy government-subsidized housing in Beijing. And they face various disadvantages in educating their children, getting social security and receiving medicare.

A responsible government would not ignore these people, who create so much of Beijing's GDP and have contributed so much to the city's development.

City managers should update their mindset. They should care for not only migrant workers, but also people such as business owners and young people who dream of starting up a company. They are scattered around the city and are hard to track down, and it is thus not that easy to include them into the government welfare programs.

The government should provide equal treatment to non-hukou residents. Hukou should not be used as a gateway for public services.

Only in this manner can our city become more tolerant and dynamic.

(China Daily 01/23/2008 page8)