China will provide nearly 13 million unregistered citizens, mainly “black children” (second children born illegally during the period of strict enforcement of the one-child policy) with household registration permits known as “hukou”, announced President Xi Jinping at the 19th meeting of the central leading group for comprehensively deepening reform.
The meeting stressed that household registration should take place irrespective of family planning and other policy limits, and those without “hukou”– the crucial document entitling Chinese citizens to social welfare or those who face difficulties in applying should see their problems solved.
In China, various social benefits such as medical insurance and access to basic education are based on “hukou”. “It is a basic legal right for the Chinese citizens to lawfully register for hukou. It’s also a premise for citizens to participate in social affairs, enjoy rights and fulfill duties,” said a statement released after the meeting.
