“There is quite a lot of pressure for people like me,” says Bei, who continues to scan the roadsides despite having a fare-paying customer, as he seeks to give pedestrians shelter from the rain – for an extra 5-10 yuan (50p-£1) each.
Chinese workers collect crude salt at Taibei Saltern in Lianyungang Photo: AFP
Working long hours is common in China, where hairdressing salons are open until late in the evening, and construction sites continue around the clock, much to the anger of sleepless residents.
Estate agents, nannies and retailers both on the high street and on China’s hugely popular e-commerce sites are just some of the workers who would rarely utter the term "out-of-hours".
That is why, for many Chinese, the national holidays are considered sacred. This is particularly true for the 253 million migrants who return home from the booming coastal cities to their rural villages during China’s Lunar New Year holidays.
"Chunjie", as its called in China, is the one safe-haven for many families from the demands of the relentless Chinese economy.
But for Bei, who was working on a holiday during the "Golden Week", which began on China’s National Day last Thursday, there was no respite.
He says he needs to work around the clock to support his wife, who is not employed, and his 15-year-old son.
“This is just what you have to do,” he says with a smile, as he crunches his gears aggressively.
China's workforce
20,167 yuan (£2,090) - China’s national per capita disposable income in 2014, an increase of 10.1 percent from 2013 vs UK: £17,559
28,844 yuan (£2,985) – disposable income for urban households, an increase of nine per cent
10,489 yuan (£1,085) - disposable income for rural residents, an increase of 11.2 per cent
17 yuan (£1.76) – China’s highest statutory minimum hourly rate (Shanghai) vs UK: £6.70
60 - retirement age for Chinese men vs UK: 65
55 - retirement age for white-collar women
50 - retirement age for blue-collar women
1,368 million – China’s population at the end of 2014 vs UK: 65 million
915.83 million – Those at working age of 16-59 at the end of 2014, a decrease of 3.71 million from 2013
Sources: China’s National Bureau of Statistics, Xinhua news agency, ONS (UK)
