ABSTRACT This study investigates the emerging transition in China's internal migration patterns, shifting from rural‐to‐urban migration to urban‐to‐urban migration and examines its historical evolution, underlying drivers, and the characteristics of urban‐to‐urban migrants. Over the past 75 years, China's internal migration has followed an evolutionary trajectory characterised by a sequence of ‘free migration, restricted migration, rural‐to‐urban migration and urban‐to‐urban migration’. Key factors contributing to the rise of urban‐to‐urban migration include the advancement of urbanisation processes, widening disparities in regional development levels, industrial agglomeration and regional economic integration, improvements in human capital and enhanced conditions for migration. Drawing on Amap migration big data, we observe that urban‐to‐urban migration is rapidly increasing, with no clear spatial distinction between the origins and destination. Based on the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS), we reveal that individuals engaged in urban‐to‐urban migration generally exhibit higher levels of educational attainment, more conservative marriage and fertility behaviours, superior employment quality and a greater tendency to socialise with friends rather than neighbours. Other developing countries may also witness a similar transformation in migration patterns from rural‐to‐urban to urban‐to‐urban in the future. The experience from China has unique value for global migration studies.
Yiwen Shangguan (Sun,) studied this question.