Rising power of migrants

New generation seeks more respect, better living standards and desires to carve unique identity for itself in city life

Migrant workers make up for a significant portion of China's industrial workforce, and they are key to the nation's modernization drive. They grew in prominence after the reform and opening-up policies the nation undertook three decades back.

The new generation of migrant workers refers to those born during the 1980s and who engage in non-agricultural work in cities even though all of them over 16 years of age are registered as permanent residents of rural areas.