China has vowed to better protect the country’s vast gig-economy workforce, as an economic slowdown leads millions of people to sign up for delivery, ride-hailing and other informal jobs on online platforms.

The 12-point plan – issued by the State Council, China’s cabinet, and the Communist Party’s powerful Central Committee – pledges stronger labour protections for “new employment groups”, or gig workers, across a number of areas.

The document calls for timely and fair wage payments, a stronger social security system, enhanced labour protections during extreme weather, and greater transparency in how platforms’ algorithms allocate orders, price fees and set time limits, among other measures.

The authorities set a target of ensuring labour practices were standardised across the platform economy by 2027, Xinhua reported on Sunday.

China’s gig economy has exploded in recent years, as workers turn to flexible employment amid a shaky job market that has led to widespread lay-offs and salary cuts. More than 27 per cent of China’s workforce, or over 200 million people, are now in gig work, according to official data.

But the country’s major technology platforms have faced a wave of complaints in recent years over the low pay, lack of protections and punishing schedules their workers often face.