This English-language volume is an edited collection of articles from the 2010 Chinese-language volume of the Green Book of Population and Labor. It examines recent developments in the Chinese demographic transition and its implications, especially for the labor market. The global financial crisis in 2008 and 2009 impacted the Chinese labor market during and after its occurrence; it hit the real economy and caused lay-offs for urban workers and a mass exodus of migrant workers from the non-agricultural workplace. The Chinese economy recovered quickly, thanks to the government’s fiscal stimulus package. It was impressive to see social protection programs implemented by the central and local governments with the interests of vulnerable people in mind. This volume intends to draw some lessons from the experiences and to discuss the trends of the labor market and social protection in the post-crisis period by focusing on three issues: policy measures, challenges to future growth, and the vulnerability of factions within the labor market.

Associate editor: Meiyan Wang