China’s Great Migration
It is difficult to overestimate the importance of regional issues – particularly inter-regional disparities – for China’s politics. That is why ensuring continued migration from the country's vast interior to the coastal regions is as important as maintaining large investment flows in the opposite direction.
BEIJING – China’s Henan province has a population of about 100 million – larger than that of most countries. In China’s administrative system, a province is at the highest level of sub-national government, followed by counties, cities, and townships. But a township in Guangdong province can easily serve a population of 500,000 to one million – larger than that of many cities outside of China. Thus, it is difficult to overestimate the importance of regional issues – particularly inter-regional disparities – for China’s politics.
BEIJING – China’s Henan province has a population of about 100 million – larger than that of most countries. In China’s administrative system, a province is at the highest level of sub-national government, followed by counties, cities, and townships. But a township in Guangdong province can easily serve a population of 500,000 to one million – larger than that of many cities outside of China. Thus, it is difficult to overestimate the importance of regional issues – particularly inter-regional disparities – for China’s politics.