The brutal reality of working as a delivery driver in China
A delivery driver in Beijing describes the grueling conditions of China's gig economy, where workers face extreme time pressure and safety risks. The sector is rapidly expanding, with nearly half of China's workforce expected to be engaged in flexible employment by the end of the year.
Why it matters
It highlights the human cost of rapid economic growth and the lack of labor protections in the world's largest gig economy.
Life as a gig worker in China is gruelling for delivery riders like Qi Yuesen. ( ABC News: Allyson Horn )
Link copied Share Share article Qi Yuesen has only had one day off in the last two months.
The 20-year-old can't stop yawning as he gets ready for another 13-hour day of delivering food across Beijing.
His first fare pops onto his phone at 10:42am. It's a coffee order.
He sprints off on his electric motorbike to the cafe to collect the drink, but 3 minutes later he accepts another order, a Chinese hamburger.
He makes a calculated gamble that he'll be able to pick up and deliver both within the tight delivery timeframe.
If he doesn't make it in time, his approval rating will be penalised, affecting his ability to get future fares.
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