The speed of China's urbanization has increased following the implementation of the reform and opening up policy. In 2017, more than 58 percent of the Chinese people lived in urban areas. This is a substantial increase from about 52 percent five years ago. More than 80 million people who relocated from rural to urban areas have gained permanent urban residency. Around 13 million new urban jobs were created, and the unemployment rate was the lowest it had been in recent years.

The vast majority of cities have eased restrictions on permanent residency requirements. A new residence card system has been put into effect nationwide, and basic urban public services now cover all permanent residents. This year, the government has set a goal of creating more than 11 million new urban jobs, and maintaining urban unemployment rate to around 5.5 percent. They will also register another 13 million people as permanent urban residents.