China has the longest high-speed railway in the world. But China's household registration system — known in Chinese as hukou — has limited the benefits of the giant and efficient railway network, says an article in Jiefang Daily. Excerpts:

Undoubtedly, the hukou system has restrained the population's free flow in China. Despite the huge number of migrant workers, the migrant population cannot enjoy the same welfare as its urban counterparts.

In the few urban groups connected by high-speed railways, where the welfare levels are almost the same, population liquidity remains low among the cities. By the end of 2012, the permanent resident population in Beijing was 20.7 million and 23.8 million in Shanghai.

There are some small cities located near Beijing and Shanghai and their traffic links are convenient. However, most people still choose to settle in the giant cities.

If the hukou system is reformed to grant migrant population equal rights in the places they reside and work for a certain period of time, China's developed high-speed railway system can be better used in the more robust urbanization of the people.