Almost 40 Million Rural Residents in China Could be Jobless

Chinese migrant workers rest at gas stations after riding motorcycles in Zhaoqing, Guangdong Province, China on Jan. 25, 2019. They are going back home together ahead of the Chinese New Year. Wang He/Getty Images

News Analysis

China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) recently announced that about 40 million rural residents, including those that have moved back home from cities, are starting up new businesses. However, some experts question the data and believe that the authorities are trying to conceal the fact that millions are unemployed  in the the country’s rural areas.