From Houston Chronicle (link):
Two Chinas: “The big cities are home to the best-educated young people, the best technology and the best standard of living,” Samuel Chu, a Shanghai native and professor emeritus at Ohio State University, told guests during a lecture aboard the Viking Century Sky cruise ship. “But we have two Chinas, and 75 percent of the people are in this second China, the rural areas. While they are seeing some improvement, they are not getting the same opportunities as those in the big cities.”
Rich vs. poor: A local tour guide in the Three Gorges area of the Yangtze River elaborated on Chu’s analysis: “In China, if you move from the rich area to the poor area, there is no problem. But if you want to move from a poor area to a rich area, it’s almost impossible. If you are a local farmer and want to move to Beijing, you would need a registration, and it can’t be done. You can work in Beijing, but you can’t live there.”
