The use of child labor in China has clear regional characteristics. Child workers primarily migrate from economically disadvantaged areas to economically developed areas, from comparatively isolated villages to cities, and from the central and western parts of the country to the southeastern coastal areas. Child labor is most common in economically developed southeastern areas like Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Fujian. Nearly all child laborers are from rural households and only rarely from poor urban households, again indicating that poverty alone is not the root cause of child labor.
Child workers are most typically found in low-level service positions or in labor-intensive industries such as textiles, clothing, shoe, luggage and toy manufacturing, and the food and beverage industry. Underage workers primarily engage in tasks that are highly repetitive and time-consuming, but that do not require a high level of physical strength, for example, putting beads on clothing, assembling electronic components, applying glue in the manufacture of luggage, and preparing and serving dishes in restaurants. Most employers are either individual workshop owners or the owners of small private enterprises.
The Chinese government primarily relies on coercive law-enforcement measures to tackle the problem of child labor. It has promulgated laws and regulations prohibiting employers from using child labor, and government labor agencies rely on these to fine employers and force them to dismiss and return child workers home.
In 1991, the State Council promulgated Regulations Prohibiting the Use of Child Labor, and these were subsequently revised in October 2002. According to Article 2 of the regulations, no employer may hire minors under the age of 16. The regulations also prohibit any entity or individual from arranging employment for a legal minor. Moreover, all employers must verify the age and identity of applicants when recruiting personnel.
Along with enacting legislation prohibiting child labor, China has placed the child labor problem within the remit of labor bureaus at all levels of local government. Working in conjunction with agencies in charge of public security and industry and commerce, as well as labor unions, labor bureaus can conduct a “concentrated attack” on labor-intensive factories and workshops. If the use of child labor is discovered, the employer is required to dismiss the child workers immediately, return them to their parents or guardian, and pay a fine.
In addition, summer students are a big concern. Each summer holiday, thousands of students flood into coastal cities looking for temporary jobs. They often work long hours for little money, and some of them are less than 16 years old.
To protect juvenile workers, Chinese government promulgated Provisions on Special Protection for Juvenile Workers effective January 1, 1995. The regulation covers a range of issues in protecting juvenile workers such as working hours, health examination, job scope and employment practices. However, violations are often observed especially with long overtime hours and hazardous workplace conditions for juvenile workers.
Back to The 10 most important things to know about labor conditions in South China
Back to main page: South China Labor Conditions Report