April 07, 2011 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)
Manufacturing compensation costs in China, 2008
Even as China ascends as a major economic player in the global economy, its position in the international landscape of labor costs has not changed dramatically. As measured in U.S. dollars, Chinese hourly labor compensation costs in manufacturing were roughly 4 percent of those in the United States and about 3 percent of those in the Euro Area in 2008.
![Index of hourly compensation costs in manufacturing, selected countries and areas, 2008](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120925014906im_/http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/images/2011/ted_20110407.png) [Chart data]
China's costs were roughly on par with those of some developing countries like the Philippines, but lagged noticeably behind those of other countries like Mexico and Brazil.
Average hourly compensation costs in China were $1.36 in 2008. China's hourly compensation costs remain far below those of many of its East Asian neighbors like Japan ($27.80) and Taiwan ($8.68), but are roughly on par with those of others like the Philippines ($1.68)
These data are from the International Labor Comparisons program. To learn more, see "China's employment and compensation costs in manufacturing through 2008" (PDF) in the March 2011 edition of the Monthly Labor Review. China's published statistics on employment and wages in manufacturing do not meet international standards. Direct comparisons should be made with caution.
Related TED articles
Compensation costs |
International comparisons |
Manufacturing
Of interest
Spotlight on Statistics: National Hispanic Heritage Month
In this Spotlight, we take a look at the Hispanic labor force—including labor force participation, employment and unemployment, educational attainment, geographic location, country of birth, earnings, consumer expenditures, time use, workplace injuries, and employment projections.
.
Read more »
|