Minimum wages were first introduced in China in 1993, following the Enterprise Minimum Wage Regulation. Over time, regulation evolved, notably to require local governments to adjust minimum wages according to local economic conditions, productivity, and living expenses.
This resulted in a rather specific and complex Chinese minimum wages system. In particular, it is a dual system: there is one minimum wage for full-time employees, and another minimum wage for part-time or temporary employees.
Besides, minimal wages vary largely depending on the administrative province.
The following line graph illustrates the evolution of the nominal minimum wage in RMB from 2000 to 2024.
This visualization highlights the steady growth in the early years, the sharp acceleration following the 2004 regulatory reforms, and the continued upward trend—albeit at a more moderated pace—in recent years.
Dezan Shira and Associates law firm has just published a full guide to China Minimum Wage system on their Website, China Briefing.
I’ve summed it up in the following infographic.
China’s minimum wage policy continues to evolve, as part of the goal set by President Xi Jinping to “build a moderately prosperous society in all respects” (“建设全面小康社会” — jiànshè quánmiàn xiǎokāng shèhuì).
A graduate of HEC Paris and CentraleSupélec, Jérôme Delacroix began his career at management and organizational consulting giant Accenture, before turning to marketing, writing and entrepreneurship.
Jérôme has been to China more than 12 times and is learning Mandarin Chinese. He hosts a YouTube channel dedicated to the Internet in China.