Two essays on the Chinese labor market
Date
2018
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
My research includes two essays on Chinese labor markets. In the first essay, I examine how minimum wage increase impacted employment in China in 2011 and 2012, using data from China General Social Survey. I compare employment changes in provinces with large and small minimum wage increases. I find a minimum wage increase has a small and statistically insignificant negative employment effect for two at-risk groups of workers. In Eastern China, minimum wage increase has insignificantly adverse effect on both groups. But in Central and Western China, minimum wage increase positively promotes job opportunities. In the second essay, I analyze the effect of body weight on hourly wages in China by using data from China Health and Nutrition Survey. I find significantly positive effect of body weight on an individual’s hourly wage for male workers. As for females, I find that body weight is negatively related to hourly wages.