A raft of new labor regulations that would grant collective bargaining rights to Chinese workers in Shenzhen is worrying Japan-affiliated companies in the special economic zone.
The rules, which could trigger demand for massive wage increases of more than 70 percent, have prompted the Guangzhou office of the Japan External Trade Organization, which is dedicated to promoting trade, to file a petition with local authorities to reconsider the plan.
The booming industrial city adjacent to Hong Kong has seen a string of strikes held at various companies since May as workers sound the call for higher wages.
The new labor rules are apparently aimed at avoiding further unrest in the city, which is populated with factory workers, many from outside Guangdong Province.