Blog: Plight of China’s New Generation of Migrant Workers Highlights Pitfalls of Labor Reforms

Over the past three decades, China has implemented and revised its labor regulations in an effort to progress its market economy. Despite the strengthening of labor protection, young migrant workers have fallen through the cracks. Chinese economics professor Li Jingkui believes that the labor reforms have led to the social phenomenon of “Sanhe legends” — youths who are caught in an employment cycle characterized by poor working conditions, low wages and a lack of stability.