BEIJING - Domestic migrants who have lost or need to renew their identification cards can now apply for a replacement in localities other than where their "hukou" (household registration) is registered.

The Ministry of Public Security on Saturday said public security departments nationwide have issued nearly five million new identification cards under this new rule.

The reform has made the process much more convenient, according to the ministry.

With rapid economic and social development, China's rural migrant worker population continues to grow. Official statistics released last April put the number at more than 277 million in 2015, up 1.3 percent from the previous year.

The 15th meeting of the Central Leading Group for Deepening Overall Reform in August 2015 adopted a document that committed the country to cutting red tape, which included the ID card renewal measure.