How to Promote the Reform of Household Registration System: People's Livelihood Priority and Implementation

How to further promote the Reform of Household Registration system

Priority should be given to the implementation of people's livelihood (expert opinion)

Interview with Zhang Chewei, Director of the Institute of population and Labor Economics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

Reporter Gu Zhongyang

Implement a residence permit system with low threshold and high gold content, taking a big step towards the equalization of basic public services

Reporter: recently, the measures for the Administration of residence permits have openly solicited opinions from the public. Public opinion generally believes that the "measures" have taken another big step forward towards the goal of fully implementing the residence permit system put forward by the household registration reform. What do you think of it?

Zhang Chewei: according to the new measures for the administration of residence permits, citizens who leave the place of permanent residence and live in other cities at or above the municipal level for more than half a year, and meet one of the conditions for stable employment, stable residence and continuous study, they can apply for a residence permit and enjoy the same free access to compulsory education, basic public employment services and other basic public services as the local registered population.

This application condition is much more relaxed than that currently implemented in some cities, and holders can enjoy the same rights to public services as the registered population. As the reform of the household registration system cannot be put in place in one step, through the implementation of the residence permit system with low threshold and high gold content as a transition, China has taken another big step towards the equalization of basic public services. it is of milestone significance to further promote the reform of China's household registration system.

Reporter: what are the main difficulties in promoting the reform of the residence permit system? What other supporting reforms do we need to focus on in order to make good policies better?

Zhang Chewei: the reform of the residence permit system is relatively easy to promote in small and medium-sized cities, but it will face greater pressure in big cities. For example, providing a series of equal public services to residence permit holders will naturally cause some pressure on local finance, especially the investment pressure of compulsory education in big cities. However, the scope of public services enjoyed by residence permit holders is gradually expanding, and local governments should be able to do so through their efforts.

Of course, in order to make the reform measures better implemented, we still need to promote a series of supporting reforms. In the next step, it is particularly necessary to deepen the reform of the financial supporting system, speed up the establishment of a financial distribution mechanism that matches financial power and administrative power, and gradually establish a mechanism linking financial transfer payment with the citizenization of agricultural transfer population.

In order to deepen the household reform, we should further introduce and improve the reform of supporting systems.

Reporter: in order to further promote the reform of the household registration system, what other aspects need to be strengthened?

Zhang Chewei: this year, a new round of household registration system reform started the ice-breaking journey. The top-level design is very correct, and the road map is relatively clear. The key is to grasp and implement it. It is conceivable that some difficulties will be encountered in the process of implementation, and there is an urgent need to further introduce and improve the corresponding reform measures. At the same time, in the process of advancing, it needs to be dealt with step by step and differential.

In order to protect the rights and interests of farmers in cities, it is not allowed to withdraw from the right of contracted management of land, the right to the use of residential land and the right to distribute collective income as the conditions for farmers to settle in the city. However, the current rural land contract law stipulates that if the whole family of the contractor moves into a city divided into districts and changes to a non-agricultural hukou, the contracted cultivated land and grassland shall be returned to the contractor. Such laws need to be amended as soon as possible. As to whether the peasants who have settled in cities will withdraw from the "three rights" for a fee, the next step should also be made clear on the basis of the pilot project in accordance with the spirit of the third Plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee.

Promoting the coordinated development of large, small and medium-sized cities and small towns is an important way to alleviate the pressure of settling down in big cities. The key is how to make small and medium-sized cities more attractive. We should establish and improve corresponding systems and mechanisms, guide transportation and other public resources to give priority to small and medium-sized cities, guide high-quality resources such as education and medical care in big cities, transfer and spread to small and medium-sized cities by setting up branches, and improve the allocation of public resources in small and medium-sized cities. We will encourage and guide the layout of industrial projects to small and medium-sized cities with strong carrying capacity of resources and environment and great potential for development.

Deepen the reform of the performance evaluation system and guide local governments to give priority to household reform according to people's livelihood.

Reporter: how to further promote the reform of the household registration system?

Zhang Chewei: reform cannot be achieved overnight, but we cannot back down in the face of difficulties. To promote the reform of the household registration system, the government needs to further change its concept and give priority to people's livelihood.

Local governments should overcome their fear of difficulties. Compared with the great contribution made by migrant workers to the local economic and social development, the cost of citizenization of migrant workers is generally not high, and some costs are invested in stages, and some are borne by enterprises and individuals. In the long run, only if a place cherishes and treats the migrant population well, can it better enhance its competitiveness. We should not put too much emphasis on the economic interests of a corner, but should give priority to the overall situation, administer according to law, and fully implement various policies and measures.

At the same time, we should further deepen the reform of the cadre performance assessment system, introduce an assessment system based on people's livelihood indicators, substantially reverse the incentive mechanism of GDP on heroes, guide and encourage local governments to give priority to people's livelihood, and do a good job in the reform of the household registration system.