走进人民大会堂的Z世代“砌墙工”

For Zou Bin, 29, the journey from a remote village to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the prestigious venue for annual sessions of China's top legislature, has been one of perseverance and dedication.

对于29岁的邹彬来说，从偏远乡村走到北京的人民大会堂——这个中国最高国家权力机关每年举行会议的庄严场所，一路走来靠的是坚持不懈和敬业奉献。

Ahead of the third session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), Zou, a construction quality director by trade and NPC deputy by passion, visited an airport construction site in central China's Hunan Province to listen to the concerns of migrant workers.

在第十四届全国人民代表大会第三次会议召开前夕，身为建筑质量总监的全国人大代表邹彬满怀履职激情，前往中国中部湖南省的一个机场建设工地，倾听农民工的诉求。

Since becoming a lawmaker seven years ago, Zou has spent three days every month at construction sites, talking with workers and recording their appeals, and submitted more than 10 suggestions, mostly focused on migrant workers' rights.

自七年前成为一名人大代表以来，邹彬每个月都会在建筑工地花上三天时间，与工人们交流并记录他们的诉求。如今，他已向大会提交了十多条建议，大多聚焦于农民工权益话题。

FROM BRICKLAYER TO CRAFTSMAN

从“砌墙工”到“大国工匠”

Raised in an impoverished mountainous village in central China's Hunan Province, Zou started to learn bricklaying in 2011 at construction sites in the provincial capital Changsha, following his father's footsteps to become a migrant worker.

邹彬自幼在湖南省的一个贫困山村中长大。2011年，他追随父亲的脚步，来到省会长沙的建筑工地学习砌砖，成为了一名农民工。

Unlike others who work for speed, he pursued perfection, often redoing walls to meet his own high standards.

与其他追求速度的人不同，他追求完美，常常为了达到自己的标准而推倒重砌。

His dedication led him to professional excellence. In 2015, he competed in the WorldSkills Competition in Brazil, winning the Medallion for Excellence in bricklaying and making history for China in this field.

他的付出让他在专业领域脱颖而出。2015年，他参加了在巴西举办的世界技能大赛，获得了砌筑项目的优胜奖，实现了中国在这一奖项上的突破。

Soon afterward, Zou was hired as a project inspector of the Fortune 500 firm China State Construction Engineering Corporation, leading teams and mentoring fellow bricklayers.

不久之后，邹彬受雇于世界500强企业中国建筑集团有限公司，担任项目质量管理员，带领团队并指导其他砌砖工人。

Brick by brick, Zou paved his way not only to a true craftsman among construction workers, but also to a grassroots NPC deputy.

靠着一砖一瓦，邹彬不仅成长为建筑工人中一名真正的工匠，还成为了全国人大代表。

VOICE THAT MAKES DIFFERENCE

履职建言 掷地有声

In 2018, Zou was elected an NPC deputy, the youngest in the Hunan delegation. The then 23-year-old has since been committed to speaking out for migrant workers, a nearly 300-million-strong group in China.

2018年，邹彬当选为全国人大代表，是湖南代表团中最年轻的一员。从那时起，这位时值23岁的年轻人就致力于为中国近3亿的农民工群体发声。

"I was a little excited at first, but then the weight of responsibility made it hard for me to sleep," Zou said. "I cherish the opportunity to be a voice for people like me."

“刚开始是有点小激动，但随后责任感压得我难以入眠。我很珍惜这个为像我这样的人发声的机会。”邹彬说道。

Zou's first proposal to China's legislative session called for better technical education and labor protections for construction workers, a cause that has since become his focus as an NPC deputy.

邹彬向大会提交的第一份建议就是呼吁为建筑工人提供更好的职业技术教育和劳动权益保护。自那以后，这一话题就成了他作为人大代表关注的重点。

His efforts paid off. Authorities responded quickly, rolling out large-scale vocational training programs since that year and putting in place the country's first ever regulation on timely wage payments in 2019.

功夫不负有心人。相关部门迅速作出回应，自那年起开展了大规模的职业培训项目，并在2019年出台了中国首部保障农民工工资支付权益的法规。

In just one year after the regulation took effect, authorities helped 643,000 migrant workers recover about 6.4 billion yuan (about 893 million U.S. dollars) in overdue salaries and other compensation.

在该法规生效后的短短一年时间里，相关部门帮助64.3万名农民工追回了约64亿元人民币（约合8.93亿美元）的拖欠工资及其他赔偿款。

TRANSFORMATION OF MIGRANT WORKERS

农民工转型

Zou was reelected as an NPC deputy in 2023. He became one of the 56 migrant workers that sat in the 14th NPC. The number marks a significant increase from 2008, when three migrant workers first made it into the country's national legislature.

2023年，邹彬再次当选为全国人大代表，成为第十四届全国人大代表中56名农民工代表之一。与2008年相比，农民工代表人数有了显著增长。2008年，共有三位农民工代表参会，这也是首次有农民工代表进入国家最高权力机关。

Much more poised and confident, the ardent advocate for migrant workers set out a higher vision in his new term from 2023 to 2028 -- helping migrant workers become professional skilled workers.

如今更加沉稳自信的邹彬，这位热心为农民工群体发声的代表，在自己2023年至2028年的新任期内设定了更高的目标——帮助农民工向产业工人转型。

His efforts aligned with China's push to empower migrant workers.

他的建议与中国着力提升农民工能力的举措不谋而合。

According to a guideline issued in 2024, China aims to foster approximately 2,000 national-level master artisans and 60,000 provincial- and city-level master artisans by 2035.

2024年印发的一份意见文件提出，中国力争到2035年培养造就2000名左右大国工匠和60000名左右省市级工匠。

Calling himself "a true beneficiary" of the country's rigorous reforms over the past years, Zou said: "This is an era in which everyone has the opportunity to shine."

邹彬表示自己是过去几年国家深化改革的 “真正受益者”，他说：“这是一个人人都可以出彩的时代。”

At this year's legislative session, Zou prepared a suggestion for further upgrading traditional industries and improving the skills training system for workers, aiming to turn industrious blue-collar craftsmen into skillful technicians.

在今年的会议上，邹彬准备了一份关于进一步推动传统产业升级、完善工人技能培训体系的建议，旨在将勤劳的蓝领工人转型成为技术娴熟的工匠技师。

"I hope that more migrant workers can have a stage to improve themselves," Zou said.

邹彬说：“我希望更多农民工能有一个提升自己的舞台。”

Over the years, Zou has witnessed changes in policies related to migrant workers and improvements of their work and lives. Their problems, such as medical care and schooling for their children, are being addressed step by step.

多年来，邹彬见证了与农民工相关政策的变化以及他们工作和生活条件的改善。他们面临的问题，比如医疗保障和子女上学等，都在逐步得到解决。

"I have witnessed real changes," he said. "My goal remains the same -- to make migrant workers a respectable group with a sense of accomplishment and dignity."

他说：“我看见了实实在在的变化。而我的目标也将始终如一，那就是——让农民工成为一个受人尊敬、有成就感和尊严的群体。”