CHILD LABOR. Due to long working hours and intense pressure, Chinaâs intense child modeling industry has sparked a debate. Photo by Greg Baker/AFPManicured children strut down the catwalk at a Beijing fashion show, one of thousands of events driving huge demand for child models in China that insiders warn leaves minors vulnerable to physical abuse, 12-hour-days and unrelenting pressure from pushy parents.
A video of a mother kicking her 3-year-old daughter in fury at her failure to comply during a modeling job went viral earlier this year, causing outrage online. But mental health experts warn it is not just physical exhaustion they have to contend with – there may be long term emotional implications. Four-year-old twins Yumi and Yuki Xiao are not yet professional models but for nearly two years they have been taking classes where they are taught how to pose and pace the catwalk in the hopes that they can break into the industry.
"They also like it, which is why we are giving them this opportunity. I think they have a natural advantage over other kids," he added.China's laws around child labor are complicated and parents of underage models are sometimes paid in secret to sidestep the red tape required to employ them.