Workers' return sign of inland areas progress

STATISTICS FROM THE ANHUI, Hubei and Sichuan provincial governments indicate the three provinces, all large exporters of migrant workers in the past have seen marked declines in the outflow of workers and obvious influxes of people increasing their populations. Beijing Youth Daily comments:

The inflow of new residents and returning migrant workers speaks volumes about the three provinces' economic vitality.

Although there remains a gap between the better-off coastal regions and these inland provinces, the central government's support has prompted many enterprises to relocate from the eastern coastal region to the central and western inland regions.

The economic growth in Chongqing, and Hubei, Anhui and Guizhou provinces has remained markedly above the national average in recent years.

Another apparent draw is, as long as there are job opportunities, most of the working age population in these areas prefer to work nearer their hometowns, as it is easier for them to take care for their children and elderly parents, even if their wages are lower than they could earn in the coastal regions.

The local governments in the inland regions should pay special attention to making good use of the experienced and skilled workers coming back from big cities, as they can play key role in poverty alleviation and the development of their hometown villages.

And the authorities in these areas should offer more well-targeted training to the migrant workers, as the quality of labor force is of vital importance to the economic upgrading of these inland areas, which will predictably focus more on the quality than the speed of growth after their economies reach a certain size.

Also, the local governments should attach more significance to providing migrant workers' children with quality education, in a bid to enhance the life quality of the whole population in the long run.