In China, they are known as nongmingong, meaning "farmers-turned-workers", a term that likely means more in Chinese than it does in English.

And now this important segment of the Chinese workforce - also known as migrant workers - have come to world prominence, thanks to Time magazine naming them runners-up to Ben Bernanke in its latest Person of the Year awards.

While the US Federal Reserve chairman scooped the top honor, the fact that the nongmingong were singled out shows their importance on the global stage.