Guizhou expects migrant workers home to stay

Guiyang (CNS) –Guizhou Province expects to see millions of its migrant workers return home for good during the next three years to satisfy local development needs, deputy governor Meng Qiliang stated just days ago. The province that used to be known for the large numbers of laborers it supplied other parts of China is now developing its own industries to attract returnees.

Liao Hengxing, director of finance for a lighter manufacturer in Tongren City, Guizhou Province, said as a labor-intensive enterprise his factory has a big appetite for labor. "We have offered over 1,000 jobs to local villagers and will provide another 20,000 in the future," he said.

Hu Pi, from another major lighting company in Tongren City, said they need skilled workers, and they are not easy to find.

Guizhou is home to about six million people who travel to work in other provinces every year, deputy governor Huang Kangsheng noted, but after the 2012 Spring Festival about one million of those people chose to stay home and work. He concluded that employee shortages are unlikely to be felt here.

Guizhou signed up over 800 business projects in 2011 with deal capital of 1.18 trillion yuan, and 69 percent of the projects were already underway by the end of last year. Those starts needed 1.2 million workers, according to Meng Qiliang.

"With a joint effort by government and the private sector, it is highly possible that the majority of our migrant workers will return to their hometown to seek employment." said Meng.