Name: The voices of China's workers
Uploaded: 2012-09-12T15:04:07Z
Duration: 14 min 8 s
Description: In the ongoing debate about globalization, what's been missing is the voices of workers -- the millions of people who migrate to factories in China and other emerging countries to make goods sold all over the world. Reporter Leslie T. Chang sought out women who work in one of China's booming megacities, and tells their stories.

In the ongoing debate about globalization, what's been missing is the voices of workers -- the millions of people who migrate to factories in China and other emerging countries to make goods sold all over the world. Reporter Leslie T. Chang sought out women who work in one of China's booming megacities, and tells their stories.

The voices of China's workers

The lives of Chinese factory workers are often misunderstood, reduced to symbols of exploitation or suffering. In reality, millions of young migrants leave rural villages for cities like Dongguan, seeking opportunity, skills, and personal growth. For these workers, their ambitions and choices matter more than the products they make, and few wish to return to the old ways back home. One young woman, after several job changes, saved enough for a car and apartment, showing a trajectory of agency and self-improvement.