As China continues to urbanize, many challenges are arising in the cities, especially those involving migrant workers. Every year, millions of people leave the countryside for the cities, hoping to land jobs that will provide better wages than back home. China’s Guangdong Province is the largest destination for migrant workers in China.

Zhu Xiaojun is a tailor in Guangzhou Yima Clothing Company. About 17 years ago, like many other migrant workers, he came to Guangdong Province, then, the fastest developing province in China. Of his colleagues, more than 80% also come from other provinces.

"Many migrant workers like us have been working outside of our hometowns for several years and have got used to the local life here. If we go back to our hometowns in the countryside, we won’t even know how to farm the land well. So staying in the city may be the best option." Zhu said.

Both Xiaojun and his wife are working in this factory. Their children have been left behind and are looked after by his old parents in his hometown in Hubei province. With all of their savings, they finally decided to settle in the city by buying an apartment in 2012. They paid the 200,000 yuan down payment, and will pay back the remaining 400 thousand yuan over 20 years.

"We have been living here for several years and wish to become real Guangzhou residents. If we can get an urban residency or Hukou, we would enjoy the same public services such as buying cars, children’s education and travelling to Hong Kong without too many restrictions," Zhu said.

According to the last national population census in 2010, there were over 20 million migrant workers in the province. Professor Liu Mengqin has been studying Guangdong’s migrant population for over 20 years. She says, in order to attract migrant workers for its manufacturing industry, the province has issued many flexible policies on migrant workers’ social welfare and medical care. But how to help them better settle into the city remains a challenge.

"We hope to improve the social and political participation of migrant workers. There are only few migrant workers as NPC members or political advisors. Some professional social organizations and townsmen associations can become more involved in offering more services and help," Professor Liu Mengqin with Guangdong Academy Of Social Sciences said.

There are over 200 million rural migrants across the country now, and millions more young people are expected to grow further out of touch with their rural backgrounds in the years to come.

China is making a big effort to promote urbanization within the next decade, but issues regarding migrant workers still must be addressed. Experts say more people oriented policies are needed to help migrant workers integrate themselves better in urban environments