China's State Council and the Communist Party's Central Committee issued a 12-point labour protection plan on May 3 to improve conditions for the nation's estimated 200 million gig economy workers [1]. The plan aims to guarantee timely wage payments and enhance social security benefits for this large workforce climbing amid the country's economic slowdown [1].
Additional provisions cover labour rights during extreme weather conditions and call for increased transparency around algorithms used by gig platforms to manage workers and allocate tasks [1]. These measures reflect the government's focus on regularizing and standardizing labour practices in platform economies by 2027 [1].
The gig workforce in China has grown rapidly, as many seek flexible income options in a challenging economic environment [1]. The labour plan is designed to address the gap in protections often faced by workers in non-traditional employment arrangements.
Officials plan to enforce the new rules over the next year, with 2027 the target date to achieve full standardization of gig labour protections. The detailed 12-point framework provides a regulatory foundation meant to align gig work conditions more closely with traditional labour standards [1].
