Chinese seafarers at the end of the 20th century

摘要

The 20th century saw China developing from a closed, land-oriented imperial economy into a global maritime power with a significant merchant fleet and the potential to become a major labour supplier of seafarers. Research on China is of significant importance to SIRC and there are three research projects on the subject underway. The first compares working lives of Shanghai seafarers in the mid and late 20th century; the second examines the roles and functions of the political commissar in Chinese merchant fleets; and the third deals with the labour market for Chinese seafarers. This is expected to be completed by 2002.