Questions: For years, migrant workers or "farm workers" were considered "the secret weapon for China's economic rise" by some economic analysts. Migrant workers left rural homes for big cities to earn a living. They were densely employed in the manufacturing, construction, and services sectors. Their costs were considered low and working conditions were sometimes harsh. For instance, investigators found migrant workers tended to work long hours and were provided with low-quality safety equipment, such as helmets.
According to reports, the number of workers in China's primary industries, including agriculture, fishing, forestry, mining, and other activities involving the extraction of natural resources, was observed to have increased for the first time in two decades. Experts said this change "reflects a return of migrant workers to their rural hometowns amid strict pandemic controls and a bleak urban job market". For background information, read the following article: