Vice-premier Hu Chunhua, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, has called for migrant workers’ wage arrears to be resolved.

He made the remarks on Jan 11 at a teleconference on ensuring timely payment of migrant workers’ wages.

The current level of wage arrears must be established, particularly in areas such as construction, before aiming to eradicate all wage arrears for migrant workers by 2020, he said.

Efforts should be made to protect the legal rights of migrant workers, and to ensure they enjoy a happy Spring Festival, Hu added.

It is especially important to address this issue given the complicated environment for development, Hu said, while asking departments at all levels to take responsibility and ensure the implementation of all works.

Pragmatic measures should be taken to stabilize production and business operations, create more employment opportunities, promote entrepreneurship of migrant workers in their hometowns, and strengthen vocational skills training to ensure stable employment levels, Hu said.

He also called for the settlement of the rural migrant population employed in urban areas, equal access to education for migrant children, and access to employee social insurance for migrant workers.