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Economy forces thousands out of Guangdong
Source: Xinhua |
January 9, 2009, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
AN estimated 600,000 migrant workers left south China's Guangdong Province due to unemployment in 2008 after the worldwide financial crisis hit the region, a government official said yesterday.
Guangdong Province Vice Governor Huang Yunlong revealed the statistics at a press conference after the country's top economic planner released a long-term plan to develop the Pearl River Delta.
Guangdong is at the forefront of the country's reform and opening policy. Since 1978, the province's annual GDP has increased by an average of 13.45 percent, 3.5 percentage points higher than the nation's average. The Pearl River Delta in southern Guangdong is the country's manufacturing and export center.
However, the financial crisis has brought Guangdong "the most difficult year since the 1998 Asian financial crisis."
"More than 143,000 migrant workers left Guangdong in the first half of 2008. By the end of last October, the number reached 500,000. The Statistics Bureau of Guangdong Province estimated that a total of 600,000 migrant workers might have left the province last year," he said.
Other economic indicators, including imports and exports, also slowed in 2008. Local fiscal revenue slowed 9 percentage points compared to 2007.
Yet Huang insisted Guangdong had a good ground for future development. In 2008, Guangdong's GDP grew 10.1 percent year on year. The figure was down by 4.6 percentage points, but GDP per capita increased 8.7 percent.
Foreign trade industry increased 8.2 percent, of which exporting and importing grew by 5.6 percent and 10.1 percent. However, the total volume of importing and exporting slowed 12.1 percentage points compared to 2007.
The statistics bureau said 100,600 companies were established in 2008, while 62,400 had closed down.
Guangdong has been trying to improve conditions for migrant workers. In 2008, 10.55 million were signed up for medical insurance, 13.5 million were included in work injury insurance and 4.58 million gained unemployment insurance.
"These figures are all No. 1 in China in treating migrant workers," Huang said.
Guangdong Province Vice Governor Huang Yunlong revealed the statistics at a press conference after the country's top economic planner released a long-term plan to develop the Pearl River Delta.
Guangdong is at the forefront of the country's reform and opening policy. Since 1978, the province's annual GDP has increased by an average of 13.45 percent, 3.5 percentage points higher than the nation's average. The Pearl River Delta in southern Guangdong is the country's manufacturing and export center.
However, the financial crisis has brought Guangdong "the most difficult year since the 1998 Asian financial crisis."
"More than 143,000 migrant workers left Guangdong in the first half of 2008. By the end of last October, the number reached 500,000. The Statistics Bureau of Guangdong Province estimated that a total of 600,000 migrant workers might have left the province last year," he said.
Other economic indicators, including imports and exports, also slowed in 2008. Local fiscal revenue slowed 9 percentage points compared to 2007.
Yet Huang insisted Guangdong had a good ground for future development. In 2008, Guangdong's GDP grew 10.1 percent year on year. The figure was down by 4.6 percentage points, but GDP per capita increased 8.7 percent.
Foreign trade industry increased 8.2 percent, of which exporting and importing grew by 5.6 percent and 10.1 percent. However, the total volume of importing and exporting slowed 12.1 percentage points compared to 2007.
The statistics bureau said 100,600 companies were established in 2008, while 62,400 had closed down.
Guangdong has been trying to improve conditions for migrant workers. In 2008, 10.55 million were signed up for medical insurance, 13.5 million were included in work injury insurance and 4.58 million gained unemployment insurance.
"These figures are all No. 1 in China in treating migrant workers," Huang said.
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