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China's rural population may drop from 720 million to 400 million in 30 years, said Han Jun, a senior official at the State Council Development Research Center, the Beijing Times reported today.
"More of the rural population wants to stay in town and pursue a better life. It will bring an explosive increase in China's urban population," Han said.
China's urban population has increased by 400 million in the past 30 years to reach 600 million. Of that population, 27 percent live in cities but are not permanent residents, according to Han.
"Every one in four resident in cities is actually a member of the rural population. It's rather predictable that the rural population transfer to urban areas will happen in the future," Han said.