New wave of minimum wage increases in China set for Jan.1
Staff Reporter 2012-12-29 08:51
A clothing factory in Shenzhen, the city with the highest minimum wage in China. (File photo/Xinhua)
After 24 regions in China adjust their minimum wage standards on Jan. 1, Shenzhen will have the highest monthly minimum wage at 1,500 yuan (US$241), while Beijing will have the highest hourly salary at 15.2 yuan (US$2.43), according to data recently released by the country's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.
The ministry said 23 regions across the country raised their minimum wage levels this year.
A report from the state-run China News Service said that Beijing and Shaanxi, which adjusted their pay standards for lower-income groups this year, would again raise their minimum wage standards from Jan. 1. Zhejiang province will raise its minimum wage by an expected 10% at the same time.
The 23 province-level regions which raised minimum wage standards this year are Beijing, Sichuan, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Shenzhen, Shangdong, Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangxi, Ningxia, Gansu, Shanxi, Yunnan, Chongqing, Jiangsu, Xinjiang, Fujian, Hainan, Qinghai, Hunan, Hebei, Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang.
Following the next round of adjustments, the monthly minimum wage in Beijing will be raised from 1,260 yuan (US$202) to 1,400 yuan (US$225). Shaanxi's minimum monthly wage will go up from 1,000 yuan (US$160) to 1,150 yuan (US$184). Zhejiang's monthly minimum will go up from 1,310 yuan (US$210) to 1,470 yuan (US$236). The province last raised the minimum wage in April 2011.
Data published by the ministry on Oct. 25 showed that Shenzhen had the highest monthly minimum wage at 1,500 yuan (US$241), while Beijing had the highest hourly salary at 14 yuan (US$2.25).
The latest figures also show that after the latest adjustments, Shenzhen will still have the highest minimum wage at 1,500 yuan (US$241), followed by 1,470 yuan (US$236) for Zhejiang. Beijing would also still have the highest hourly salary rate at 15.2 yuan (US$2.43), followed by 13.4 yuan (US$2.15) in Xinjiang and 13.3 yuan (US$2.13) an hour in Shenzhen.
According to government regulations, minimum wages across various regions are required to be raised once every two years.
A national human rights plan for 2012 to 2015 published by the State Council also proposed the establishment of a mechanism for maintaining 13% growth in the annual minimum wage. A ministry official said that between 2008 and 2012, the nation had registered 12.6% annual growth in minimum wage standards.
