On December 27, a job ad for this “Pretend to Work Company” went viral on Chinese social media. The video showed an office setup that looked just like a real workplace, complete with desks, chairs, and computers. At first, many thought it was a joke poking fun at China’s rising unemployment rate. But a quick check on recruitment platforms like Boss Zhipin revealed that these “paid-to-work” companies actually exist. One such company, located in Yintai City in Shushan District, Anhui Province, is hiring managers to operate its “Pretend to Work Company.”
On the night of December 19, Mr. Yang bought a sleeper ticket for the Shanghai-to-Beijing high-speed train. To his surprise, the entire carriage was empty except for him. His video sparked lively discussions online.
Recently, a report allegedly from the People’s Bank of China revealed some alarming figures. Among China’s 1.4 billion people, more than 800 million are in debt, over 400 million have overdue loans, and more than 20 million have been blacklisted in credit reports. What’s worse, these numbers continue to rise.
Once highly sought after by Chinese companies, overseas returnees, known as ‘haigui,’ are now being referred to as ‘haifei,’ or ‘overseas waste.’ Many returning graduates are unable to secure employment, while those who do often find themselves jobless amid ongoing waves of layoffs.
After the pandemic ended in 2023, China’s economy showed no signs of recovery. By 2024, the situation deteriorated even further. Many foreign companies withdrew from cities like Beijing and Shanghai, and foreign tourists nearly disappeared. Domestic companies faced massive layoffs, and consumer spending continued to decline. Everywhere you look, shops are shutting down. The weak consumer demand has dealt a heavy blow to the restaurant industry, leaving it struggling to survive.
On December 24, 2024, industry insider Mr. Yuan revealed on social media that 75 steel companies in China have halted production. The main reason: steel products are not selling, and the more they produce, the more they lose. Many factories simply have no choice but to stop production. Mr. Yuan, from Tangshan, Hebei—a city known as the “steel capital”—shared his concerns on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. He stated that many steel mills are struggling to stay afloat, with some even finding it difficult to pay their employees. Given the uncertain market outlook, he expressed worry for workers whose families depend on incomes from steel factories.
On January 6th, protests erupted in Pucheng, Shaanxi. A young man standing on an elevated platform blew a horn, marking the peak of the public demonstration. Thousands of people gathered and tried to break through police barricades, entering the Pucheng Vocational Education Center. Some school facilities were damaged, and the principal was assaulted. Videos from the scene show the principal becoming dizzy from the beating and eventually taking refuge in an ambulance.
Recently, a bombshell hit China’s political and business circles—the first major controversy of the new year! Reports claim that the family of the late Chinese Vice President Rong Yiren has emigrated to Canada. They allegedly packed up and shipped out all the furniture from their villa in Shanghai. This news is still under verification, and as of now, no one from the Rong family or related parties has stepped forward to deny or clarify these rumors.
Recently, reports from mainland China reveal that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has taken drastic measures against Taiwan’s iPhone manufacturer, Foxconn. Authorities have reportedly blocked Foxconn from sending Chinese workers to its factories in India and have detained iPhone production equipment meant for shipment to India.
My opinion: the people are getting sick and tired of being squeezed. War calms people down.
