Model 14Is the Hukou(户口)Policy Still Relevant in China?

The “hukou” system was introduced in the early years of New China to ensure that the populations of cities did not grow faster than the available resources of food，clothing and housing. Just as importantly，it also prevented China s cities from being swamped by mi-grants from the countryside seeking a better standard of living. But，the question now is，has it outlived its usefulness?

As the saying goes，time marches on，and China long ago solved the problem of providing its population with enough to eat and wear. Migrants from the countryside are no longer a strain on the cities resources. Moreover，the surplus workers in the rural areas are needed to swell the labor forces of the rapidly booming urban areas，at the same time taking pressure off scarce agricultural resources.

Therefore，it is my opinion that the hukou policy is no longer relevant. China s new market economy requires that labor be allowed to flow to wherever it is needed—be it city，town or village. However，it would be unwise to abolish the hukou system before an adequate supply of commodity housing is available to accommodate newcomers，otherwise，all the efforts of the past two decades may be undone.