Migrant labour, urban exclusion and social harmony in China

Focusing on peasant workers, or domestic migrant labour – this article aims to address the issue of social exclusion in urban China. The first section provides, an overview of migration from rural to urban areas in China. This is followed by a section on the social exclusion experienced by migrant workers in cities. The third section is about the recent efforts by the Chinese government to use social policy to increase social inclusion and achieve social harmony. It argues that it is imperative for the Chinese authorities to take concrete action to abolish the hukou system entirely and give full citizenship to migrant workers.