BEIJING - NOT since he left home to find work in China's booming south five years ago has Mr He Huan been back for more than two weeks at a stretch.

And even when he does return to Chengdu, capital of south-west Sichuan province, it is during the Chinese New Year break - the only time when China's masses of migrant workers can leave their factory jobs to rejoin their families.

But this year, the 23-year-old journeyed back from Shenzhen city in July and stayed put.

Read Tracy Quek's full story in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.