Chinese women earn a fifth less than men and the gap is widening fast, survey by online recruiter Boss Zhipin finds
- An average Chinese working woman earns 78.2 cents for every dollar paid to a man, the study found
- That is better than the global average and on par with the US and UK, but the gap has widened by 8.7 percentage point in a year
Chairman Mao Zedong, the late Chinese leader, famously said women could “hold up half the sky” as he advocated equal pay for both genders. Almost half a century later it seems his vision is still a long way from fruition.
The average Chinese working woman earns about a fifth less than the average man, according to a survey by online recruiter Boss Zhipin – and the disparity is rapidly getting wider.
The average monthly salary for women in China is 6,497 yuan (US$970), 78.2 per cent of a man’s wages, data collected from the platform’s registered users showed. The gap is 8.7 percentage points bigger than it was a year ago.
Boss Zhipin’s figures, based on a survey of 2,280 people, put China on a par with the US and the UK for gender equality in the workplace.
The Chinese disparity appears to be most pronounced among high earners, the research found.
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The type of job – often influenced by social norms and stereotypes – was the main factor explaining the pay gulf, with the specific industry and length of service also playing a significant part.
“Men are found more inclined to take roles with high intensity and uncertainties, such as technology or sales. Women tend to work in administrative, operational, and market-oriented roles, with moderate pay and limited promotion chances,” said Chang Meng, head of Boss Zhipin, in the report.
Women account for less than 20 per cent of artificial intelligence and big-data related jobs, such as machine learning scientist, deep learning engineer and data architect, the research found. Only 3.6 per cent of system architects are women.
“In recent years, even though there are many more women working STEM-related jobs and taking senior management roles, the male-female ratio in major high-paying positions still remains significantly imbalanced,” said Chang, referring to science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
When asked what hindered women from being promoted, respondents said they had to devote more energy to family, they do not have the same networking resources and social support, and lack senior management skills. About 72 per cent of women identified family as a drag on their career, versus 57 per cent of men.
New data published on Wednesday by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) showed a 17.9 per cent difference in earnings between women and men in the UK.
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It is a similar story in the US, where an average woman earns 80 cents for every dollar brought home by a man, according to a 2018 report by the American Association of University Women.
In all three countries, the wage gap grows with working age. In China the disparity begins at the start of a career, with a 9.8 per cent gap, but after 15 years or more experience that has grown to a yawning 39.4 per cent. In the US women also start out 10 per cent behind, but that only widens to 22 per cent.
