Higher wages in China could lead to 1.5 million new jobs in South Asia

One man's loss is another man's gain - in this case another woman's. In view of rising wages in China, the global garment industry is looking for cheaper production alternatives in South Asia. According to a new World Bank report titled "Stitches to Riches: Apparel Employment, Trade and Economic Development", this could mean 1.5 million new jobs if labour costs in China rise by just 10 percent. And this would benefit women who make up a majority of garment workers in some South Asian countries as half of those estimated jobs would go to them.