China’s top court wants to protect gig workers without hampering tech platforms’ development, aiding Meituan and Didi

China’s Supreme People’s Court is seeking to strike a balance between protecting gig works and ensuring the country’s internet platforms can continue to develop and offer flexible employment, a top judge said, suggesting companies like Meituan and Didi Chuxing might avoid having to cover all the workers on their apps as full employees.

Executive vice-president of the Supreme People’s Court He Rong said during a press conference on Thursday that the country’s top judiciary has clarified labour rules for those working in the “new form of employment”, which includes delivery workers, ride-hailing drivers and live-streaming e-commerce hosts.