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20 million migrants lose their jobs
By Lydia Chen |
February 3, 2009, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
ABOUT 20 million migrant workers have lost their jobs as a result of China's economic slowdown, a senior official reported yesterday, just one day after the central government said rural stability was of "special significance" to the country's development this year.
About 15 percent of the nation's 130 million-plus migrant workers who left the farm to find work in the cities had to return home jobless before the Lunar New Year after export demand slumped, Chen Xiwen, director of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group, told a news conference in Beijing yesterday. The figures were based on a recent Ministry of Agriculture survey that covered 150 rural villages in 15 provinces with the largest migrant populations, Chen said.
China's economic growth slowed to 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter last year, reeling in the full-year figure to 9 percent, the worst performance since 2002.
Exports dropped 2.8 percent in December, following a 2.2 percent decrease in November, the first such decline in seven years.
Many factories in export-driven southern China have closed, raising concern that social stability in rural areas will come under new pressure as unemployed migrant workers lack the income to support their families, said Chen.
Local and central government officials were urged to implement new measures to create jobs and increase rural incomes, according to a document issued on Sunday by the State Council and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
Companies were asked to take on more social responsibilities and give rural migrant workers more favorable employment treatment. Flexible employment policies and more training opportunities were also encouraged.
Local government departments were told to increase investment and provide favorable tax and fee policies to those who lost jobs in cities and are looking for work in their hometowns.
The government also urged departments to map out basic pension insurance measures suitable for rural conditions and migrant workers to ensure their rights.
In one bright sign, the average net income for farmers posted a record gain last year, jumping 621 yuan (US$91) to 4,761 yuan, Chen said.
A report by the Chinese Academy of Sciences last month predicted that farmers' incomes are expected to average 5,177 yuan this year.
Chen also warned officials to "properly handle" disputes in rural areas, including those over environmental pollution and land issues.
Such disputes are triggered mainly by corruption among local officials and negligence by some governments of farmers' interests in the pursuit of higher economic growth, Chen said.
Government officials should talk to the people face to face rather than sending police officers, which may escalate tensions, he said.
"Police will not be called in unless there are extreme cases of violence, such as beating, looting and arson," Chen said.
Lessons should be learned from past mass incidents, and the voices of the people should be heard, he said.
About 15 percent of the nation's 130 million-plus migrant workers who left the farm to find work in the cities had to return home jobless before the Lunar New Year after export demand slumped, Chen Xiwen, director of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group, told a news conference in Beijing yesterday. The figures were based on a recent Ministry of Agriculture survey that covered 150 rural villages in 15 provinces with the largest migrant populations, Chen said.
China's economic growth slowed to 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter last year, reeling in the full-year figure to 9 percent, the worst performance since 2002.
Exports dropped 2.8 percent in December, following a 2.2 percent decrease in November, the first such decline in seven years.
Many factories in export-driven southern China have closed, raising concern that social stability in rural areas will come under new pressure as unemployed migrant workers lack the income to support their families, said Chen.
Local and central government officials were urged to implement new measures to create jobs and increase rural incomes, according to a document issued on Sunday by the State Council and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
Companies were asked to take on more social responsibilities and give rural migrant workers more favorable employment treatment. Flexible employment policies and more training opportunities were also encouraged.
Local government departments were told to increase investment and provide favorable tax and fee policies to those who lost jobs in cities and are looking for work in their hometowns.
The government also urged departments to map out basic pension insurance measures suitable for rural conditions and migrant workers to ensure their rights.
In one bright sign, the average net income for farmers posted a record gain last year, jumping 621 yuan (US$91) to 4,761 yuan, Chen said.
A report by the Chinese Academy of Sciences last month predicted that farmers' incomes are expected to average 5,177 yuan this year.
Chen also warned officials to "properly handle" disputes in rural areas, including those over environmental pollution and land issues.
Such disputes are triggered mainly by corruption among local officials and negligence by some governments of farmers' interests in the pursuit of higher economic growth, Chen said.
Government officials should talk to the people face to face rather than sending police officers, which may escalate tensions, he said.
"Police will not be called in unless there are extreme cases of violence, such as beating, looting and arson," Chen said.
Lessons should be learned from past mass incidents, and the voices of the people should be heard, he said.
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