"China's five-year plan to boost rights of gig workers", China Daily, 20 Aug 2026

The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) for trade union work, released on Thursday by the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, lays out 12 specific targets across eight areas, ranging from master craftsman cultivation and model-worker innovation studios to skills development and employment assistance.

To tackle long-standing concerns over pay, working conditions and social protection, the plan urges platform companies to engage in collective bargaining and pursue outcomes that benefit both platforms and their workers.

Li Yi, deputy director of the ACFTU's Research Office, said negotiations over platform algorithms and labor rules will remain a top priority. The plan also calls for expanding the occupational injury insurance system and for ensuring that gig and flexible workers have access to employee social insurance.