A unified system should be set up to realize balanced development between the country's rural and urban areas, an article in People's Daily points out. An excerpt follows:

A unified system needs to be established - covering the sectors of property rights, price setting, registration, employment, social welfare, education and taxation - to ensure parallel social development throughout China.

Different property rights between rural and urban areas, such as property rights for land, housing and money, have become obstacles in labour being transferred from rural areas to cities and in allocating resources in an optimal way.

An across-the-board property right is needed to protect all residents and it should prevent farmers' rights from being violated at will.

For a long time, due to a differential pricing system, the free market has been stymied.

And the market has to dictate prices so the monopolies that presently exist can be broken.

There has been a long-term call to unify the rural and urban residential registration systems. The differences have caused many social problems and are not fair.

A unified system focusing on identification card management will ensure the free flow of China's population and reflect residents' dwelling and employment information in an accurate way.

And as the management of farmers-turned-workers in cities is not supervised by the urban employment system, they cannot enjoy treatment and welfare that is on par with urban residents.

A unified employment system would mean both groups would have the freedom to choose their employment and work locations.

Former farmers should enjoy the same rights in terms of housing, participating in the army and of education for their children, as urban citizens. And the improper collection of fees from them should be halted.

Now, only urban residents have social welfare like Medicare, pension insurance, and housing and labour insurance. All should be entitled to such welfare.