Poverty and unemployment in the People's Republic of China

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Unemployment in China is worsening
By Zhang Kai, October Review, 31 October 1995. Unemployment in China is worsening: annual addition of labour in urban areas; surplus rural labor seeking urban employment; redundant labor from state-owned factories waiting for transfer. Large numbers of unemployed will exert severe pressures on the social security system and will cause social instability.
On the Road to Capitalism, China Hits a Nasty Curve: Joblessness
By Erik Eckholm, The New York Times, 29 January 1998. China's industrial heartland, the northeastern region where big-scale communist industry was born of exuberant idealism in the 1950s, is now flailing for life. Government is drastically pruning thousands of state industries and laying workers off, especially in rust-belt northeastern cities like Harbin and Shenyang.
With the rich come the poor
By Pushpa Adhikari, Inter Press Service, Asia Times 26 May 1999. In the last decade, market reforms have transformed China from a poor welfare state to a major economic power. But the changes have cracked the legendary iron rice bowl, so while more and more are able to reap the benefits of market reforms, many are also realizing it is easier to fall into poverty.
Mainland ‘has poverty beat’
Hong Kong iMail, 18 November 2000. While the mainland has eradicated absolute poverty and now has the lowest poverty rate in the developing world, it sets the poverty line at a low level of simple subsistence. Beijing's poverty-alleviation strategy only applies to the rural population and so far there is no cohesive programme aimed at urban areas.
Growing income disparity ‘threatening development’
South China Morning Post 12 March 2001. The widening gap between rich and poor is threatening social stability and economic development. Measures to prevent income polarisation. Income gaps between urban and rural areas, between different regions and between different lines of business.
Model Chinese Village Chief Turned Rogue
By Tay Hwee Peng, The Straits Times 31 March 2001. As the income gap between countryside and city widens, even more power-grabbing village chiefs will operate villages like private companies. Personal empowerment and self-enrichment a powerful new discourse of social and economic justice for China's peasants.
China has work cut out on jobs front
Asia Times, 6 June 2002. The actual unemployment rate reached between 5–6 percent, and there are also 150 million surplus and idle laborers in rural areas. During 1996–2000, with every percentage point of economic growth, the number of employed people in urban areas grew by about 520,000.