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Xinhua: Over Two Million Migrant Workers Suffered Wage Arrears

Xinhua recently reported, based on data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, that over 2.77 million migrant workers suffered wage arrears in 2015. That’s a 20 percent increase over 2014. In 2015, average migrant worker monthly income was RMB 3,072 yuan (around US$473) and the average annual wage arrears was RMB 9,788 yuan (around US$1,506). Only 36.2 percent of the migrant workers had a formal labor contract with their employers. Statistics also showed that 39.1 percent of the migrant workers worked over eight hours daily and 85 percent worked over 44 hours weekly. Among the migrant workers with wage arrears, those who worked in Central China suffered the most, with those in Western China second; those in Eastern China suffered the least. In 2015, most of the wage arrears occurred in the construction industry, followed by the manufacturing industry; the transportation industry was third. Migrant worker wage arrears occurred across all major industrial categories. The average age of migrant workers has been increasing consistently over the past several years.
Source: Xinhua, April 28, 2016
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2016-04/28/c_128940698.htm
Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Xinhua: MOHURD to Issue Guideline to Curb Disturbing Conduct in Real Estate Brokerage Industry

Xinhua published an article reporting that, according to the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD), a guideline will soon to be issued to regulate China’s real estate brokerage industry. The article claimed that there has been disturbing conduct in this industry. For example, inappropriate commission rates are charged and the actual information about the house that is on sale is being covered up or falsely presented. The Ministry plans to regulate the industry to ensure that information is accurate, comprehensive, and timely; that there is an online authorization of the contract agreement; and that the escrow fund, the record keeping, and the personnel management are handled properly. The first round of the regulatory effort will take place in brokerage firms in cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen.

Source: Xinhua, May 8, 2016
http://news.xinhuanet.com/house/bj/2016-05-08/c_1118823946.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Millions of Migrant Workers Are Not Getting Paid

A report that the National Bureau of Statistics released revealed that over 2.7 million farmers-turned workers are still owed the wage payments they earned. 

According to the 2015 Migrant Workers Monitoring Survey Report, about 277.47 million farmers (migrant workers or farmers-turned workers) left their land and the countryside to work in towns and cities. About 1 percent of them, a 0.2 percentage point increase from the previous year, are waiting for the overdue wages that their employers have delayed paying them. The average amount of delayed wages is 9,788 yuan per worker, an increase of 277 yuan compared to a year ago. [According to the National Bureau of Statistics, disposable personal income per capita was 31,195 yuan in 2015.] 
Source: Xinhua, May 1, 2016 
 http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2016-05/01/c_1118781731.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

To Demolish a Church, a Team Buried a Christian Alive, Resulting in Her Death

Radio Free Asia reported that, in Xincai County, Henan Province, on April 18, 2016, a group of people used force to demolish a church. They buried Li Jiangong and his wife Ding Cuimei while they were still alive because they tried to defend their church.

"The demolition team consisted of local villains. They drove trucks to knock down the church’s walls. Li, who was in charge of the church and his wife stood in front of the wall. One of the demolition team shouted, ‘Bury them alive. I will take the responsibility if someone dies.’ Then a bulldozer pushed both of them into a hole and covered them with earth. Mr. Li managed to dig himself out a few minutes later. By the time other people got Ding Cuimei out, she had stopped breathing."

"After seeing the death, the manager of the demolition team claimed he was sick and went to a hospital. Police said that they arrested two suspects, but it may take one or two years for this case to go to court."

"The church was built in 2007. Its members raised the money, bought the land, and built it. It had about 200 members. The government approved the construction. Because of its convenient location – it was close to a highway – some (powerful) people wanted to take over the land; they resorted to force to move the church off of the land."

Source: RFA, April 18, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/shehui/ql1-04182016111213.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

A School in a Poisonous Environment in Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province

Oriental Daily reported on how the authorities handled the issue of the poisonous environment at the Changzhou Foreign Language School. The school’s surrounding environment, including the air, soil, and water, was polluted. Hundreds of students were diagnosed with dermatitis and measurable blood abnormalities; some even had leukemia and lymphoma.

"The school gave its rebuttal, saying that the number of students with physical abnormalities was not over 500; it was ‘only 133 students.’ The students’ parents then countered, stating that they had gathered 683 copies of student’s health checkup reports. "Of those, 522 had abnormalities. Actually, it should not matter whether it was only 133 or 522. Even 133 is not a small number. Isn’t that enough to prove that the school’s environment is poisonous?"

"Parents of the students received warnings from local authorities several times: ‘Don’t create trouble.’ Some were interrogated and detained for ‘inciting and planning illegal assemblies and demonstrations.’ Some were forced to sign a paper promising not have a demonstration. Some were contacted by their employers and warned ‘not to participate’ and were given ‘hints’ that they would lose their jobs if they did participate. Some elderly participants were threatened at their homes. When reporters came to interview some scientists, they also kept silent. They gave reasons such as, ‘I have an administrative title," "I want to avoid trouble,’ and ‘The issue is too complicated.’"

Source: Oriental Daily, April 21, 2016
http://hk.on.cc/cn/bkn/cnt/commentary/20160421/bkncn-20160421000321090-0421_05411_001_cn.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

RFA: China Ranked Low in 2016 World Press Freedom Index

Radio Free Asia (RFA) recently reported that Reporters Without Borders, headquartered in Paris, published its 2016 Annual World Press Freedom Index, which analyzed the situation of press freedom in 180 countries and regions. The countries ranked at the top three positions are Finland, The Netherlands, and Norway. China was ranked at 176, which is actually in the bottom fifth. Taiwan was ranked at 51, which is the top rank in Asia. The United States was the 41st, up from the 49th last year but still behind Great Britain (the 38th) and Canada (the 18th). However, the report pointed out that overall global press freedom suffered a “Heavy and disturbing” decline in 2016 because dictatorship and governmental press controls are on the rise. 
Source: Radio Free Asia, April 20, 2016
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/Xinwen/5-04202016104345.html
Briefings | | |   Social Stability

BBC Chinese: The Chinese Authorities Detained 202 Suspects in the Vaccine Scandal

BBC Chinese recently reported that the snowballing vaccine scandal (Editor’s note: please see the March 23 Chinascope background briefing at http://chinascope.org/main/content/view/7781/109/) has resulted in the Chinese authorities detaining 202 suspects thus far. The Chinese government expressed the determination to strengthen nationwide monitoring and administration of the beginning-to-end vaccine lifecycle. The vaccine scandal now includes 192 criminal cases involving millions of black market vaccine transactions. The State Council has punished the National Food and Drug Administration and the National Public Health Commission as well as corresponding government organizations across 17 provinces, involving 357 government officials. So far, the scandal has impacted illegal vaccines worth RMB 310 million (around US$48 million). The vaccine scandal caused widespread anger across China. China is the world’s second largest medicine market. 
Source: BBC Chinese, April 13, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/china/2016/04/160413_vaccine_illegal_arrests
Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Survey Showed Over Sixty Percent of Doctors Feel Their Workload Is Too Heavy

People’s Daily reported that medical doctors in China feel they are not well respected, their workloads are heavy, and they are not well compensated. According to a recent survey that the Peking Union Medical College School of Public Health released, over 60 percent of the medical doctors feel overloaded with work, they lack recognition, and their compensation is inadequate. The survey showed that over 40 percent of the doctors work over 10 hours a day and only 33.6 percent feel they have enough sleep at night. Only 46.7 percent feel that they are in relatively good health. Last year only 40.6 percent of the doctors took all of the vacation days to which they were entitled and 38.5 percent of the medical staff felt that their profession was being recognized and respected.

Source: People’s Daily, April 11, 2016
http://society.people.com.cn/n1/2016/0411/c1008-28264407.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability