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Jia Wu

Lingnan College, Sun Yat-sen University, China

IZA World of Labor provides direct and effective insight into the labor markets in developed and developing countries. China has gradually increased its impact on the global economy via international trade, and it has met some challenges. I am delighted to participate in this project and I am excited to collaborate with Prof. Junsen Zhang to describe the labor market situation of China in recent years, which will provide policy implications for policymakers

IZA World of Labor role

Author

Current position

Professor of Economics, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China

Research interest

Labor economics, economics of education

Website

http://jiawu1881.weebly.com

Positions/functions as a policy advisor

Research Fellow, Pan Sutong Shanghai-Hong Kong Economic Policy Research Centre (2015–)

Qualifications

PhD Economics, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics

Selected publications

  • "Student Performance, Peer Effects, and Friend Networks: Evidence from a Randomized Peer Intervention.” American Economic Journal: Economic Policy 15 (2023): 510–542 (with J. Zhang and C. Wang).

  • "Compensation for Girls in Early Childhood and Its Long-Run Impact: Family Investment Strategies under Rainfall Shocks." Journal of Population Economics 36 (2023): 1225 - 1268 (with J Lin and X. Han).

  • "Observability and Peer Effects: Theory and Evidence from a Field Experiment.” Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization 8 (2022): 847–867 (with C.S. Fan, X, Wei, and J. Zhang).

  • "Elite Schools, Magnet Classes and Academic Performances: Regression-Discontinuity Evidence from China." China Economic Review 55 (2019): 143–167 (with X. Wei, H. Zhang, and X. Zhou).

article(s)

  • The Chinese labor market, 2000–2024 Updated

    The world’s second largest economy has boomed, but a rapidly aging labor force presents substantial challenges

    Junsen ZhangJia Wu, August 2025
    China experienced significant economic progress over the past few decades, with an annual average GDP growth of approximately 8.6%. Population expansion has certainly been a contributing factor, but that is now changing as China rapidly ages. Rural migrants are set to play a key role in compensating for future labor shortages. However, they still face significant barriers to live in cities permanently, resulting in surging waves of return migration in recent years. Additionally, China faces a low fertility rate of 1.01 births per woman, although the population control policy has been relaxed. Millions of people are employed in the food delivery and courier industry, yet with little social benefit and insurance, which poses potential challenges for China’s labor market stability.
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