New year sees clear horizon

253 million: The migrant population by the end of 2014, according to the health authorities. [Photo/China Daily]

3. Provisional Regulation on Temporary Residence Permit

The regulation represents a significant step in reforming the country's household registration system and is good news for the floating population of 253 million migrants.

The regulation is designed to provide migrants with social benefits－such as public health services－from which they were excluded in the past. Migrants will be able to apply for driver's licenses and change their identification cards to reflect the places where they work instead of their original hometowns. The rule aims to balance the development of urban and rural areas.