Long Read: Why Temporary Workers Are a Growing Presence in China’s Factories

Temporary workers can make up one-third to two-thirds of the manufacturing workforce in major industrial areas, depending on the time of year, field survey data show

Despite the services sector’s growing contribution to China’s GDP and employment, manufacturing remains crucial to the economy.

Data from the 2020 national population census showed that around 114 million people were employed in the manufacturing sector, accounting for approximately 27% of the total workforce outside of agriculture. That’s a 10-percentage-point drop from 2010.

The reasons behind this decline are multifaceted, including demographic shifts — with the labor force peaking in 2013.

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