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ILO/IZA/Renmin University/UCW Workshop: The Chinese Labor Market in Transition

Organizers: Hartmut Lehmann (University of Bologna and IZA), Furio C. Rosati (ILO UCW Project and IZA), Zhong Zhao (Renmin University of China and IZA)
Location:Renmin University of China, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
Date:November 18, 2016 - November 19, 2016

Event Manager:
Viola Hartmann (IZA)




Throughout the past decade, the Chinese labor market has experienced an in-depth transition, with the share of jobs not controlled by the state increasing considerably, while employment in agriculture has declined, all against the backdrop of ongoing urbanization.

As China implements labor reforms and faces changes in demography and labor dynamics, a clear understanding of the labor market transition is essential.

The Renmin University of China in collaboration with IZA, the ILO and UCW is organizing a two-day workshop to analyze the Chinese labor market in a rigorous fashion.

The workshop will cover any aspect of labor market adjustment in China, with attention particularly devoted to the school-to-work transitions of young workers and to youth who enter the labor market early. Other important topics will be the labor market experience of migrant workers during the crisis and beyond, measurement issues related to informality and job quality, as well as the costs of worker displacement during the crisis and more generally during episodes of restructuring.

The workshop will also represent an occasion for an in-depth discussion of labor measurement issues arising from the adoption of the 19th International Conference of Labor Statisticians (ICLS) Resolution. The Resolution, indeed, by distinguishing employment for wage or profit from economic activities for own consumption, introduced important updates to the previous international statistical standards for measuring the labor force.

Program
+++ Paper presentation: 35 minutes +++ general discussion: 10 minutes +++

Friday, November 18:

09:00 - 09:15   Registration with Coffee and Tea
 
09:15 - 09:30   Welcoming Remarks by
Weiguo Yang (Dean SLHR Renmin University of China and IZA)
Hartmut Lehmann (Program Coordinator IZA and University of Bologna)
Furio C. Rosati (ILO UCW Project and IZA)
 
09:30 - 09:45   Opening Remarks:
Tim de Meyer (Director ILO Beijing)
 
 
09:45 - 11:00   Panel Session on Youth Employment in China - Measurement, Evidence and Policy Options
 
    Moderator: Furio C. Rosati (ILO UCW Project and IZA)

Participants:
Xiangqun Cong (Director, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security)
Hartmut Lehmann (University of Bologna and IZA)
Huang Qun (ILO Office Beijing)
Jie Wu (Director National Statistical Bureau)
Zhong Zhao (Renmin University of China and IZA)
 
 
11:00 - 11:30   Coffee/Tea Break
 
 
11:30 - 13:00   Paper Session A: Demographic Dimensions of Participation and Employment in Urban China
  Chair: Zhong Zhao (Renmin University of China and IZA)
 
    Suqin Ge (Virginia Tech), Xi Chen (Fedex)
  "Social Norms and Female Labor Force Participation in Urban China"
 
    Wenchao Jin (University College London)
  "Explaining Low Employment Rates among Older Urban Chinese"
 
 
13:00 - 14:30   Lunch
 
 
14:30 - 16:00   Paper Session B: Migration
  Chair: Furio C. Rosati (ILO UCW Project and IZA)
 
    Chuhong Wang (University of Southampton), Jackline Wahba (University of Southampton and IZA)
  "Sons or Daughters? Gender, Child Migration and Health of Parents Left Behind"
 
    Yang Huang (World Bank), Hai-Anh Dang (World Bank and Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences), Harris Selod (World Bank)
  "Children Left Behind in China: The Role of School Fees"
 
 
16:00 - 16:30   Coffee/Tea Break
 
 
16:30 - 18:00   Paper Session C: Happiness and Hukou System
  Chair:
 
    Fei Wang (Renmin University of China), Richard A. Easterlin (University of Southern California and IZA), Shun Wang (KDI School of Public Policy and Management)
  "Growth and Happiness in China, 1990-2015"
 
    Laixun Zhao (Kobe University)
  "A Simple Model of the Chinese Hukou System and Some Ongoing Reforms"
 
 
18:30       Dinner
 
 

Saturday, November 19:

09:00 - 10:30   Paper Session D: Human Capital Accumulation and Skills
  Chair: Hartmut Lehmann (University of Bologna and IZA)
 
    Lei Li (University of Zurich), Hongbin Li (Tsinghua University and IZA), Hong Ma (Tsinghua University)
  "Skill-biased Imports and Demand for Skills in China"
 
 
 
10:30 - 11:00   Coffee/Tea Break
 
 
11:00 - 12:30   Paper Session E: Education I
  Chair: Laixun Zhao (Kobe University)
 
    Qian Weng (Renmin University of China), Xia Gao (Henan University of Economics and Law), Haoran He (Beijing Normal University)
  "Family Size, Birth Order and Educational Attainment: Evidence from China"
 
    Feng Hu (University of Science and Technology, Beijing), Alex Eble (Columbia University)
  "The Importance of Educational Credentials: Schooling Decisions and Returns in Modern China"
 
 
12:30 - 14:00   Lunch
 
 
14:00 - 15:30   Paper Session F: Education II
  Chair: Suqin Ge (Virginia Tech)
 
    Furio C. Rosati (ILO UCW Project and IZA), Can Tang (Renmin University of China)
  "Household Chores Specialization and School Drop-out"
 
    Liqiu Zhao (Renmin University of China), Yun Xiao (National University of Singapore), Li Li (National University of Singapore)
  "Education on the Cheap: The Long-run Effects of a Free Compulsory Education Reform in Rural China"
 
 
15:30 - 16:00   Coffee/Tea Break
 
 
16:00 - 17:30   Paper Session G: Parenting and Education
  Chair: Liqiu Zhao (Renmin University of China)
 
    Ang Sun (Central University of Finance and Economics), Wei Huang (Harvard University and IZA), Xiaoyan Lei (Peking University and IZA)
  "The Great Expectations: Impact of One-Child Policy on Education of Girls"
 
    Sean Yuji Sylvia (Renmin University of China), Nele Warrinnier (University of Leuven), Renfu Luo (Peking University), Ai Yue (Shaanxi Normal University), Orazio Attanosio (University College London), Scott Rozelle (Stanford University)
  "Quantity to Quality: Delivering a Home-based Parenting Intervention through China’s Family Planning Workers"
 
17:30 - 17:40   Concluding Remarks by Organizers
 
 
18:30       Dinner