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Higher pay lures migrants to inland China
By People's Daily |
June 4, 2012, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
TEN years ago, no one would believe that central and western China would offer lucrative salaries to lure migrant workers.
Since April this year, however, many provinces and cities in central and western China have increased their minimum wages by a much bigger margin than many, more developed coastal areas. In certain inland regions, migrant workers can earn more than they do in coastal areas.
What a sea change. More than 10 years ago, I was working in the government of a poor county in Henan Province and one of my tasks was to "sell" our migrant workers to coastal areas. At that time, you would often see dust-covered migrant workers, mostly from central and western China, who sought jobs in coastal cities with very low payment.
Now, as local economies in central and western China take off, those migrant workers are migrating back home. No wonder coastal areas have begun to see a labor shortage. For instance, many tea farmers in Hangzhou are having a hard time hiring migrant workers to pluck tea sprouts.
The new phenomenon of migrating home reflects a more balanced Chinese economy, which used to rely mostly on the coastal regions.
Since April this year, however, many provinces and cities in central and western China have increased their minimum wages by a much bigger margin than many, more developed coastal areas. In certain inland regions, migrant workers can earn more than they do in coastal areas.
What a sea change. More than 10 years ago, I was working in the government of a poor county in Henan Province and one of my tasks was to "sell" our migrant workers to coastal areas. At that time, you would often see dust-covered migrant workers, mostly from central and western China, who sought jobs in coastal cities with very low payment.
Now, as local economies in central and western China take off, those migrant workers are migrating back home. No wonder coastal areas have begun to see a labor shortage. For instance, many tea farmers in Hangzhou are having a hard time hiring migrant workers to pluck tea sprouts.
The new phenomenon of migrating home reflects a more balanced Chinese economy, which used to rely mostly on the coastal regions.
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