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Even though Chinese growth makes inequalities deeper, does it create the conditions for a middle class to emerge and flatten out inequalities? Or do inequalities stem from rigidities imbedded in the regime itself? Could the unchanging nature of the regime lead in the long run to an implosion? Despite contradictory signals from its leaders, the Chinese society reacts to the most urgent questions: environment problems, expropriations, worker’s protection and especially migrant workers, which is one of the main problems.

Hélène Le Bail, a specialist on social and political issues in China and migration issues in Asia, is a researcher at Ifri (Asia Center). She holds a Ph.D in political science as well as a master degree from the Institut national des Langues et Civilisations orientales (INALCO), and she specializes in research of the Japanese-Taiwanese relations and Chinese migration.