China - the World’s Largest Migration

Two stunning videos here which help explain the scale and effect of the largest migration of people in history - from rural to urban China.

This video from the Economist charts the key features of China's migration.

This second, remarkable video looks at the largest human migration on earth as up to 1bn Chinese people each year go home to their roots. The FT's Patti Waldmeir reports on the phenomenal combined buying power of China's 260m migrant workers and looks at the type of gifts they are buying this year. Consider this in the context of Chinese growth and development, the deep and persistent gaps in living standards between urban and rural areas and the challenges facing Chinese policy-makers as they seek greater regional balance in their development process.