$SOL China's flexible employment population is expected to reach 320 million this year, accounting for 40% of the employed population

This year, China's flexible employment figures are projected to cross a critical scale inflection point, reaching 320 million people, becoming an important pillar of the labor market. Based on a total employment of 725 million in China by the end of 2025, this means over 44% are in flexible employment. The flexible employment group has been growing at a rate of 40 million people per year in recent years, with domestic services and food delivery as the main sources of new employment, while some professions like ride-hailing drivers have declined in scale. Although blue-collar workers' average monthly income has increased by 117% over ten years, flexible workers still face development limitations and insufficient social security issues. Scholars point out that economic transformation, platform economy expansion, and labor supply exceeding demand drive the growth of flexible employment, but related regulations lag behind, resulting in weak rights protection. The government plans to introduce policies to support flexible workers' participation in social insurance, but coverage remains low; for example, fewer than one million food delivery riders enjoy the "five social insurances and one housing fund."