Global Markets
Home›Global Markets›China›China rolls out blueprint to boost wages and cushion A…
China rolls out blueprint to boost wages and cushion AI job risks
The plan calls for steady wage growth, shifting pay toward frontline workers, and updating minimum wage standards as AI reshapes the workforce.
China has released a new policy blueprint focused on income growth and wage-distribution reform as part of efforts to cushion the domestic job market against artificial intelligence over the next five years, according to a report by SCMP Economy.
The blueprint, issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, sets out steps to promote collective wage bargaining in the private sector and to tilt pay toward frontline workers, while also directing state enterprises to manage excessively high earnings and raise incentives for critical talent.
It also urges refining mechanisms for adjusting minimum wage standards and calls for legislative research on minimum wage laws, aiming to better protect the bottom tier of the workforce.
SCMP Economy notes the move comes amid persistent income inequality, including a rural-urban divide, and cites concerns from economists that rapid AI adoption could worsen those gaps.