Source: CCTV.com

05-03-2006 15:24

Millions of farmers flock to the cities in pursuit of a better life. But the harsh reality they find with their jobs often leaves them bewildered and discouraged. In today's segament of "Rural Agenda".

Out of the countryside and into the city.

Most take construction jobs, pouring cement for China's urbanization.

They leave home when barely out of their teens, coming of age in the city.

But the household registration law says they're farmers, a XX-year-old classification that fails to recognize a new reality.

Chen Qi said: "I can't get used to life back home in the countryside now because I've been living in the city for about ten years. I'm used to city life now. "

Most of the country's current migrant workers are in their twenties. They have little farming experience and few ties to the soil.

The lure of the city is irresistible. Staying here means getting a share of the urban riches, but fitting in is difficult.

Xu Xingyong said: "I love the city, but I'm not sure if I can make it here. I only finished junior high school. And when I'm on the streets, I often feel people look down on me. "

For migrant workers, life is a daily struggle.

At this construction site, they work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week and under harsh conditions. But they earn only half the average salary in the city.

And widespread prejudice has marginalized this group, making them unsure where they're going.

Zhu Weitian said: "Sometimes I do feel adrift and alone. It's like you're being rejected by the city, while you yourself tend to abandon the countryside. And you belong to nowhere. So who am I? "

It's a question that should also concern city planners.

Where do they belong, these people transformed by the cities they help to build?

These workers often do the dirtiest and hardest work. But they also receive the lowest pay and little appreciation. They're caught in a confusing maze of residency laws and social discrimination -- on their way to becoming equal shareholders in the country's success. Many people say this must change and that society must NOT overlook their essential contribution to the country's development and transformation. "

 

Editor:Chen Minji