The number of rural migrant workers in China hit 282 million at the end of 2016, an increase of 4.24 million from a year before, according to the Ministry¹ of Human Resources and Social Security (MHRSS).

人力资源和社会保障部日前称，截至2016年末，全国农民工总量达到2.82亿人，较上一年增长424万人。

The country has made remarkable² progress in protecting migrant workers' rights and interests, said Qiu Xiaoping, MHRSS's vice³ minister.

人社部副部长邱小平称，我国在保障农民工权益方面取得了巨大进步。

The ministry has helped retrieve⁴ 35 billion yuan in back pay for migrant workers, and back pay complaints have fallen, Qiu said.

邱小平副部长表示，人社部帮助农民工追讨欠薪共350亿元，欠薪投诉数量下降。

Some 58.2 million workers are covered by pension insurance and 48.2 million covered by medical insurance. 46.6 million have access to unemployment insurance and 75.1 million are protected by work injury insurance.

养老、医疗、失业和工伤保险覆盖的农民工分别有5820万人、4820万人、4660万人和7510万人。

Qiu said the ministry will continue to help rural migrant workers settle in cities and start their own businesses. Efforts will be made to help them enjoy equal social welfare with urban residents.

邱小平称，人社部将继续帮助农民工在城市落户和创业，推动实现农民工平等享受城镇居民社会福利。

Due to the household registration⁵ system that ties people's access to social welfare to their residential⁶ status, they have previously⁷ not enjoyed the same benefits in healthcare, pensions and other social benefits as city residents.

由于户籍制度将农民工的社会福利与居民身份关联在一起，他们之前不能享受和城镇居民相同的医疗、养老金和其他社会福利。

To bridge the gap, government is gradually removing the distinction between urban and rural residents.

为了缩小这一差距，政府正在逐渐消除城乡居民之间的区别。