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China on the move: Migrant workers strive for better lives

2009-09-09 13:49 BJT

Special Report: 60th Anniversary of PRC |

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Guangdong Province is well-known as one of the major destinations for migrant workers in China. Its Dongguan city is a world-famous manufacturing center. Tens of millions of people come to earn money, broaden their vision, and more important, to find development opportunities.

20-year-old Bie Tao is from Hunan Province. He's been in Dongguan for more than two years, jumping from one job to another.

Bie came to this factory about two months ago. His goal is learn to as many skills as possible on the job. Back home, he can't afford to go to school.

Migrant worker Bie Tao said, "My family is poor. My parents are farmers and my younger brother is still a student. I didn't continue my studies after I graduated from a vocational institute in Hunan. I had to leave my hometown to earn my own living to ease the financial burden of my family. That's why I am here."

Bie Tao is just one of the thousands of migrant workers in this factory. Although they come from different parts of the country, they're very similar: young, energetic, aspiring and from poor families.

And they all have the same disadvantage of limited education. That limits them to manual labor.

And that makes them extremely vulnerable to the global financial crisis.