China's Rural Workforce Grows for First Time in Decades as Migrants Return to Farming
• China's primary sector workforce increased in 2022 for the first time in decades as migrants returned to farming • 176.6 million people were employed in agriculture and mining in 2022, up from 170.7 million in 2021 • Experts say this reflects migrants returning home due to strict pandemic controls and fewer urban jobs • The trend may continue if manufacturing and services don't recover to sustain growth and absorb labor • China's working-age population is declining, falling from a 2014 peak of 997 million to 875 million in 2021