June 15, 2021
1 min read

Villagers facing widening income inequality in China

China has an urban population of roughly 900 million while another 500 million live in rural areas…reports Asian Lite News

Beijing’s push to modernise rural areas of China claiming to improving lives and reducing poverty, Chinese villagers across the nation are facing an even wider gap in income inequality against their urban counterparts as an economic opportunity in the countryside remains sparse.

According to Nikkei Asia, Chinese President Xi Jinping in December declared that the last counties on the list of impoverished areas had been removed, ending China’s long fight against extreme poverty. However, rural incomes are falling further behind those in China’s cities, and life in the countryside remains challenging.

“Our everyday life did get better over the last several years, but we’re still struggling,” said a 54-year-old pig farmer who earns less than 30,000 yuan a year.

China has an urban population of roughly 900 million while another 500 million live in rural areas. Urbanites earned 43,834 yuan on average in 2020, while rural residents averaged 17,131 yuan, government data shows.

The gap in actual income between the rural and the poor has widened by 57 per cent over a seven-year period as China’s rural areas have few work options outside agriculture, and the farming field lacks business growth, reported Nikkei Asia.

“Corporations in urban areas achieved growth by hiring low-wage migrant workers and becoming the ‘factory of the world,’ and they’re using villages as colonies. The gap is unlikely to narrow going forward,” said Fumiki Tahara of the University of Tokyo.

Many villagers leave for big cities as migrant workers, whose average earnings reached about 4,000 yuan a month in 2020 — far better pay than for farmers. But they remain far behind office workers. (ANI)

ALSO READ: ‘China’s three-child policy won’t prevent lower annual births’

Previous Story

‘China’s three-child policy won’t prevent lower annual births’

Next Story

Retail inflation zooms to over 6% in May

Latest from -Top News

Piyush Goyal Heads to Doha for Trade Talks

During the visit, both sides are expected to discuss the proposed India–Qatar Free Trade Agreement (FTA)….reports Asian Lite News Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will travel to Doha, Qatar, on

Jaishankar Hints at Tariff Deal with US

Jaishankar explained that the ongoing trade tensions largely stem from the inability of both sides to reach a common ground on several issues….reports Asian Lite News External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on

Rajnath Singh Heads to Australia for Key Defence Talks

The visit comes at a historic moment when India and Australia commemorate five years of establishment of India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership…reports Asian Lite News Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Australia from

California Takes Trump to Court

Trump claimed that the deployment of federalized troops was necessary because the city of Portland was under siege…reports Asian Lite News California Governor Gavin Newsom said the state will sue the Trump

Hamas Heads to Egypt for Gaza Talks

The negotiation will focus on the details of enacting the first phase of the plan…reports Asian Lite News A delegation from the Palestinian group Hamas arrived in Egypt on Sunday ahead of
Go toTop

Don't Miss

China to ease Covid quarantine rule from Jan 8

Travellers will still require a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

China’s Uyghur Persecution Reaches Nearly 30 Countries

The majority of targeted Uyghurs are located in Muslim-majority countries