Hardworking couriers' new year hopes

Delivery workers look forward to improved pay and more leisure time in the Year of the Monkey

Couriers Li Junfeng and Zhou Kang have a lot of hopes and resolutions for the upcoming Lunar New Year. Their aspirations reveal much about life at the sharp end of a booming express delivery industry that is increasingly essential to the Chinese economy. The smooth operation of the e-commerce sector that Chinese leaders see as a new growth driver depends on keeping the likes of Li and Zhou happy and willing to stick with their tough jobs.

Both experienced couriers coping with ever-heavier workloads on their Beijing beats, their wish list includes better pay, more-affordable housing and a little understanding from customers. They are looking for higher salaries in the Year of the Monkey, and Li has made a resolution to make it back to his hometown in Hubei province for the holidays and eventually to return there for good.