(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-01-12 11:15

The widening income gap between different industries is an abnormal situation, says an article from the Guangzhou Daily. The following is an excerpt:

It is no longer news in China that the gap between the rich and the poor is widening. It is a reality that we have to face, and also the fundamental reason the government has been stressing social equality. To ensure the harmonious progress of society, social equality is urgently a must.

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The evidence of the widening income gaps between different social strata and geographical regions is there for all to see. Recent research has shown that the gap also exists between 13 industries in China.

The highest-income sector is the information technology industry, while the lowest earners are in agriculture. The average income of a worker in the former is six times as much as that of the latter. Moreover, the income distribution among different industries is becoming increasingly polarized.

Such gaps will not only create tension in the relationships between people from different sectors, but will also reduce people's work ethic at the grassroots. This would in turn affect the efficiency of businesses. What's more, the widening gap between different industries would negatively affect the allocation of social and human resources, which will lead to prejudice against some people, working units and industries.

It seems increasingly clear that the widening gap has affected every facet of society. The gap creates the risk of social tension breaking out. At the moment, China is still far away from the ideal social model, with the middle class occupying the majority. It is high time for China to solve this problem since the burden is too much for a country in the process of transition.