China’s Second Tier Cities? The Third and Fourth Tiers are Catching Up
Op-Ed Commentary: Chris Devonshire-Ellis Oct. 26 – The much lauded phrase “second tier city” has been around for much of the past decade as a descriptive factor, especially in China, when it came to dealing with business opportunities and investments outside the principal cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. A decade on, and […]
Understanding China’s Social Security System
By Adam Livermore Sept. 14 – The social security system in China is based upon guidelines issued by the central government, although the specifics and administration of the system is managed at the local level. This is the only practical method in a country as diverse as China, as any rigid system defining specific contributions […]
New Issue of China Briefing: Employment Overheads in China’s Social Security System
Sept. 1 – In the September issue of China Briefing we look at China’s social security regime and the five social insurance funds that enterprises in China must contribute to: pension, medical insurance, unemployment insurance, maternity insurance, and occupational injury insurance. We also look at the housing fund, another mandatory fund that both employers and […]
Xinjiang and Tibet Raise Minimum Wages
Jul. 28 – Xinjiang and Tibet have raised their minimum monthly and hourly wages, according to regional authorities. The minimum monthly wages in Xinjiang now range from RMB640 to RMB960 across different regions – an increase of 24.6 percent on average. The adjusted minimum hourly wage ranges from RMB6 to RMB8.80. The adjusted minimum wages […]
Beijing Raises Minimum Wage
BEIJING, Jun. 22 – The Beijing municipal government has raised the monthly minimum wage in the city to RMB960, effective from July 1. The notice, issued June 4, raises the monthly minimum wage to RMB960, up from RMB800, and the hourly minimum wage to RMB5.5, up from RMB4.6. Furthermore, the notice stipulates that social security […]
Shenzhen Raises Minimum Wage
Jun. 10 – The Shenzhen municipal government has raised the monthly minimum wage in the city to RMB1,100 effective from July 1. The notice, which was issued June 8 at the government executive meeting, standardizes the monthly minimum wage level across the city. The minimum monthly wage in Luohu, Futian, Yantian and Hanshan district has […]
Companies in China Experience Labor Pains as Costs Increase
Op/Ed Commentary: Andy Scott Jun. 8 – The news that Foxconn and Honda agreed to raise wages in their South China factories last week is merely the beginning of a new era in the “Made in China” story. At the beginning of the 1990s, China’s dramatic shift from a closed, mainly agrarian society to an […]
Hubei Raises Minimum Wage Levels and Social Benefits
May 11 – The Hubei provincial government has raised monthly minimum wage levels, effective from May 1. The notice, which was issued April 25, adjusts the minimum wage standards to between RMB900 and RMB600 and the minimum hourly wage to between RMB9 and RMB6.5 dependent on the city. The notice also states that social security […]