Equity in policy: an updated account of points systems for hukou conversion in Chinese megacities

ABSTRACT

Although the points systems for hukou conversion in Chinese megacities have been discussed in detail, the issue of policy equity has received scant attention. Drawing on policy documents and on interviews with urban-to-urban migrants in Beijing and Shenzhen, this article examines the issue of equity in the current points systems. Our analysis is based on three features of policy equity: policy declarations of equity, equity in conditions of hierarchy, and lack of transparency. The difference in perceptions of equity between the migrants in Beijing and those in Shenzhen, and their implications in terms of policy implementation were also analysed. Shenzhen’s points system was perceived as more equitable than that of Beijing’s. We found inequities arose from variations in the policy design between different levels of government and in the policy implementation between cities. To promote consolidation of policy equity, we need to create a governance model that will not only encourage local authorities to promote equity in their policy-making but also ensure effective oversight of the implementation of the resulting practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Policy equity
• points system
• hukou conversion
• policy variation
• megacity
• China

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to express sincere gratitude to the interviewees for their active participation. The assistance of Ms Xinye Zhang during the fieldwork is also gratefully acknowledged.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The development of this article was partially funded by the Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Project ID: P0033440).

Notes on contributors

Bo Li

Bo Li is PhD student at the Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. His research focuses on community-based health services and social policy.

Juan Chen

Juan Chen is Professor at the Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Her research centres on migration and urbanization, health and mental health, help-seeking and service use, social policy, and social service systems.