Challenges, respect

Some couriers come from the rural areas and as migrant workers they may have already bought social insurance in their hometown. The complications of the flexible employment model pose challenges for the protection of couriers' rights and interests, Zhao said.

She called on companies to cease underhand practices and to return to fair competition and virtuous development.

"When parcel delivery companies are making efforts to build their brand and improve the service quality instead of conducting low-price battles to win customers, it is time for them to be willing to invest in human capital — couriers," she said.

Zhao also called on society as a whole to respect couriers and regard them as professionals in order to build a virtuous circle.

China's postal and express delivery sector has undergone rapid development over the past decade.

The volume of deliveries has risen nearly twentyfold from 5.6 billion in 2012 to 110.5 billion last year, while parcel delivery services have been extended to 95 percent of administrative villages, according to the State Post Bureau of China.

Xu Wei contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at luowangshu@chinadaily.com.cn