China formalises gig worker protections for 200 million platform workers with algorithm transparency and 2027 deadline

TL;DR China’s CPC Central Committee and State Council issued comprehensive labour rules for the country’s 200+ million gig workers, the first time the party’s highest authority has formalised protections for platform workers. The rules mandate minimum wage, maximum working hours enforced by the app itself, algorithm transparency subject to collective bargaining with unions, and a 2027 compliance deadline. The regulations are both labour policy and demand-side economics: Beijing’s consumption-driven growth pivot requires gig workers earning $563-845/month to become consumers, and the platform companies — Meituan, Didi, Alibaba, are profitable enough to absorb the costs. China’s most powerful governing bodies, the…