have left their home to work in factories, mines and on construction sites, especially in the economic powerhouses in eastern and southern China.

     "And for long they have been treated unfairly," Liu said. "Even after working in cities for years, most of them don't enjoy an urban resident's status."

     The government first worked out a strategy to integrate rural and urban development in 2003 to achieve social harmony. That was followed by an inter-ministerial network that the State Council, the country's cabinet, set up in 2006 to protect the rights and interests of migrant workers.

     Duan Chengrong, a labor expert with the Renmin University of China, said the new department would help tackle the key problems of employment and social security facing the workers.

     Migrant workers agree that their condition has improved over the past five years and that they are gradually being put under the national social security umbrella.

     "But it is far from enough," said Xie Ying, a migrant coordinator from Bazhong city in Sichuan province.

     The new department should try to resolve the household registration (hukou) issue, Xie said. "The government should take quick action "

     Bazhong has a population of 3.7 million but more than 1 million of them work as factory workers, waiters, domestic helps and garbage collectors in