(China) Labor shortage is 'mainly structural'

[Omaha Steve]

Source: China Daily

By Hu Yinan

Labor shortages in China's coastal regions and their spread to inland areas are mainly the result of structural factors, a Ministry of Labor and Social Security spokesman said on Friday.

Zhai Yanli, deputy chief of the ministry's information center, was responding to a recent Chinese Academy of Social Sciences report, which said that the shortage of rural labor is so acute that it will be unable to meet demand from non-agricultural sectors by 2009.

Tight supply exists among both highly skilled and unskilled staff, Zhai told a press briefing.

"This includes technicians at all levels and low-end operators in industry, as well as sales, restaurant, exhibition service, and tailoring and sewing staff," he said.


Read more: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-07/21/content_5440810.htm

[whistle]

1. China could march workers ten abreast off a cliff and never have a labor shortage

[Spinzonner]

2. That's a simplistic response

Available labor depends on the efficiency of each unit of labor (i.e. people) and the demographic such as age distribution, not just total numbers.

For example, Japan is facing a situation with low birth rates leading to low replacements and a high fraction of older/elderly. That leaves a smaller numer of productive workers.

[David__77]

4. How could you believe that?

What, just because they have a large population? But they need a large economy employing a large number of workers to support that large population. It cannot be otherwise. China's birth rate is relatively low, which is a good thing from a standard of living perspective but a bad thing from a labor market perspective. China's economy is growing by leaps and bounds and it's a good thing that jobs are relatively plentiful.

[Screwfly]

3. This alleged labor shortage

is probably just a bullshit excuse for them to jack up the price of their products.