A new round of what is being called the “war for the people” is spreading across China; Major cities are taking turns trying to ease residency requirements amid stubbornly low fertility rates and the ongoing housing market crisis.

Chengdu, a southwestern metropolis of 17 million people (twice the size of New York), will allow immigrants to change their residence status as long as they buy a home in the city, according to a plan the city government put out for public comment this month. .

A registered hukou in a major city has long been sought after, but it was previously difficult to obtain due to authorities in China using the strict system to control population movement.

Chengdu’s potential policy change, which has yet to announce a planned implementation date, is the latest attempt at a “hukou for home” strategy adopted by city governments in the past few years as competition for talent intensifies among local governments.

“The current competition is a continuation of the ‘war for talent’ that started in 2017… cities must maintain a certain population scale to support modern industries such as finance and culture,” said Lu Mingtao, an economics professor at Capital University. Faculty of Economics and Business Administration in Beijing.