Population mobility is one of the survival strategies of families in underdeveloped countries. However, it is selective, and the poorest families are often forced to stay behind and are unable to benefit from this population flow. Although the Chinese economy has increased over the past 30 years, poverty has continued in some areas, especially remote rural areas. Returning migrant workers have accumulated human capital, corporeal capital, and social capital in their migrations. They can use their own experience and capabilities to narrow the gap between urban and rural areas, promote rural economic development, and help rural areas get out of poverty.

  This study focuses on the impact of returning rural migrant workers on rural economic development and discusses how the experience of China can be applied to the neighboring country of Vietnam. Using longitudinal retrospective multi-level surveys, and incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methods, the current research includes the following aspects:

  1.  Investigate the spatial patterns and changes of migrant workers returning home.  

  2.  Study the long-term impact of returning migrant workers on the economy and the characteristics of these changes.

  3.  Identify the impact of factors, such as key individuals, socio-economic factors, institutional policies, etc. on returnees’ entrepreneurship decisions and behaviors.

  4.  Assess the long-term impact of returning migrant workers on the local area, and study the role of institutional policy.

  5.  Analyze the factors affecting the decision-making process of migrant workers returning and the relationship between these factors and migrant workers’ economic behaviors after returning home.

  In the context of globalization, the Chinese experience as revealed by this study could be applied to other developing countries (such as Vietnam) to help them solve rural poverty and urban-rural inequality.

  This project is hosted by the University of Bristol in the UK and is jointly conducted by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Peking University and Fujian Normal University.