The minimum wage in China

Map of the hourly minimum wage in China in 2014.
     ¥ 9.00– ¥ 9.99
     ¥ 10.00– ¥ 10.99
     ¥ 11.00– ¥ 11.99
     ¥ 12.00– ¥ 12.99
     ¥ 13.00– ¥ 13.99
     ¥ 14.00– ¥ 14.99
     ¥ 16.00– ¥ 16.99
     ¥ 17.00

In 1994, the minimum wage was introduced in China. ^{[1] [2]} Since there is a very different standard of living in different parts of China, China does not set a minimum wage for the whole nation. Instead, the task of setting a minimum wage is delegated to local governments. Each province, municipality or region sets its minimum wage according to its own local conditions. The minimum wage is divided into two types: the monthly minimum wage applies to full-time workers, and the hourly minimum wage applies to part-time workers. It ranges from 1,120 yuan ( $ 166.88) and 10.06 yuan ( $ 1.50) per hour in Liaoning to 2,480 yuan ( $ 369.62) and 22 yuan ( $ 3.28) per hour in Shanghai . ^{[3] [4] [5] [6]} In the city of Shanghai , the highest minimum wage in the PRC is set at 2,480 yuan ( $ 369.51), followed by Shenzhen 2,200 yuan ( $ 322.39) and Beijing 2,200 yuan ( $ 322.39) per month . ^[7] As of February 2019, the minimum monthly wage in Shanghai , Guangdong , Beijing , Tianjin , Jiangsu and Zhejiang exceeded 2,000 yuan ( $ 298). ^[8] On April 1, 2018, the minimum wage for full-time workers was raised from 2,300 yuan ( $ 360.62) to 2,420 yuan ( $ 379.44) per month, whereas for part-time workers, it was increased from 20 yuan ( $ 3.13) to yuan 21 ( $ 3.29) per hour. ^[9] From April 1, 2019, the minimum wage in Shanghai for full-time workers is 2480 yuan ( $ 369.51) per month, while for part-time workers, 22 yuan ( $ 3.28) per hour. ^{[10] [11] [12]} In China, from January 1, 2019, a salary of less than 5,000 yuan a month is not subject to income tax. ^{[13] [14]} According to the National Employment Promotion Plan, the minimum wage should increase in accordance with local living standards by at least 13% by 2015 and be at least 40% of the average local wage. The minimum wage for such a policy increased by an average of 12.6% from 2008 to 2012. However, the growth rate of the minimum wage declined in 2016, reflecting the efforts of the Chinese government to reduce the pressure on enterprises as a result of the uneven growth in labor costs and production rates.

General trends in minimum wage levels vary across provinces with a much smaller increase in developed regions and faster growth in less developed regions. Since June 2015 and June 2016, 22 regions have made changes to the minimum wage. In 2016, the average growth rate fell to 14.5% from 17% in 2015. It is noteworthy that the Guangdong provincial government stated that it would maintain the same minimum wage level unchanged in 2015 in 2016 and 2017, and the minimum wage growth rate in Shanghai decreased from 12.3% in 2014 and 8.4% in 2016 to 5% in 2017 and 2018. Guizhou Province stands out as the region with the most significant increase in the minimum wage in 2016, by 55%.

The minimum wage in the unrecognized state of the Republic of China , from January 1, 2019 is NT $ 23,100 per month and NT $ 150 per hour, or about $ 750 (642 euros) per month and $ 4.87 (4.17 euros) per hour. ^{[15] [16]} On May 1, 2019, the minimum wage in Hong Kong for non-foreign domestic helpers would be HK $ 37.50 per hour ($ 4.78 per hour). ^{[17] [18] [19]}