China Insight
Explainer: Answering Five Big Questions on the ‘Study Xi’ App
Published
5 years agoon
First published
As the ‘Study Xi’ app, that encourages China’s online population to study Xi Jinping Thought, keeps on dominating China’s top app charts, these are some of the big questions on China’s latest interactive propaganda tool. What’s on Weibo explains.
Since its launch in January of this year, the ‘Study Xi, Strengthen China’ app (Xué Xí Qiáng Guó 学习强国, also ‘Study Xi, Strong Country’)1, that was released by the CCP Central Propaganda Research Center (中央宣传部宣传舆情研究中心), has been making headlines both in and outside of China.
The app, that revolves around studying “Xi Jinping’s Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era” (习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想), is still top ranking on China’s popular app charts: it is the overall second top free app in the Chinese iOS Store, and the number one most popular educational app in Chinese charts at the time of writing.
‘Study Xi’ is a multi-functional educational platform that offers users various ways to study Xi Jinping Thought, Party history, Chinese culture, history, and much more. Once people are registered on the app, they can also access the platform via PC. Every user has a score that will go up depending on how active they are on the app.
An important part of the app is its news feed: the home page features “recommended” reads that all focus on Xi Jinping and the Party. Another major feature is its ‘quiz’ page: every week, there are different quizzes that users can do, relating to all sorts of things, from Party ideology to famous Chinese poems.
For our previous article on the app, we listed some of its functions in the image below. It is much more than a media app alone; it also has a social function, that allows users to connect with friends, message them, call them, and even send them ‘red envelopes’ (money presents).
As its popularity continues, and Weibo discussions on the app continue, we will answer some of the questions you might have about the app in this article.
#1 Was the app developed by Alibaba?
Ever since its launch, it has been rumored that Alibaba is the company that developed this app. In the app’s descriptions, however, all copyright and credits go to the Central Propaganda Department of the Communist Party that has allegedly started developing this app since November of 2017. Nowhere does it say that Alibaba was involved in its development.
Alibaba’s involvement, however, is in no way a secret: the app’s ‘red envelope’ function is made possible through Alipay, the online payment platform that is owned by Ant Financial Services Group, an affiliate company of the Chinese Alibaba Group. One way for users to verify their identity on the app is also by linking it to their Alipay account.
Users of the app also noted that, upon registering for the app, their old Ding Ding conversations were automatically loaded into their chat history. Others said that upon changing their Ding Ding password, their Study Xi password was automatically also changed. Ding Ding is a multifunctional enterprise messaging app by Alibaba (read here), and many of its functions are also incorporated in the Study Xi app.
“I just discovered Study Xi is based on the Ding Ding app – all conversations I had with a good friend on Ding Ding are also displayed on the Study Xi app,” one of the many Weibo comments on the topic said: “Have other people found out yet that the user information between Study Xi and Ding Ding are interoperating with each other?”
According to a Reuters article from February of this year, sources confirmed that the ‘Study Xi, Strengthen China’ app was indeed developed by a special projects team at Alibaba known as the ‘Y Projects Business Unit’ (Y项目事业部). In 2018, Alibaba also published job positions on its website for this ‘Y Projects Business Unit,’ in which the offered jobs would entail working on an “educational platform.”
#2 Is ‘Study Xi’ mandatory?
Various English-language media covering the Study Xi app have called it a “mandatory app,” but it is not true that all Chinese mobile phone users are required to download it.
Party members, however, are strongly encouraged to use the app to learn more about Party ideology, new policies, and political theory.
All over the country, there are local Party meetings where Party members are taught how to download and use the app. Local state media Weibo accounts frequently post about these meetings, with some mentioning that they are organized as ordered by “higher authorities” (“按照上级有关要求” or “按照要求”), suggesting that organizing and/or attending these classes and downloading the app is indeed mandatory for Party members.
Many Chinese (state-owned) companies and schools have also ordered their employees and students to download the app. Some Weibo users write that their school requires them to score a certain number of points per day on the app.
“A lot of people I know now use the ‘Study Xi, Strengthen China’ app, but it’s not the same everywhere, as it is required to score a certain number of points in some places. This work method will even make people dislike good things. Studying should be conscious and voluntary,” one Weibo blogger wrote in March.
“I used to like the app because there’s news on current politics and there are quizzes, but since my work unit requested us to spend 30 minutes per day on it, I started to find it annoying,” one netizen (@超凶的钢丝球) said.
“The leader of my mum’s factory had all the workers download the ‘Study Xi, Strengthen China’ app – this world has gone crazy,” another commenter wrote.
“How can they force us to score 30 points per day?” one Weibo commenter wrote: “I’m happy they canceled the rankings. This should not be mandatory.”
The ‘ranking system’ this netizen refers to, was a function in the app that allowed users to view the scores of other users and friends. In late March, nearly three months after the app was launched, its ranking feature was canceled. This means that users can no longer view other people’s score and ‘compete’ with them. The maximum score per day was also reduced from 66 points to 52 points.
Many people on Weibo expressed that they were happy that the ranking system was canceled since they allegedly suffered from peer pressure to reach a certain score. But there are also those who say they found the ranking system “motivational,” and write they are disappointed their scores are now private. “We can always still share our scores on social media,” one Weibo user suggested.
#3 How does the scoring system work?
The scoring system of the ‘Study Xi’ app works as follows:
- Upon registering for the app, you receive 1 point.
- For every article or essay one reads, you get 1 point (one per article, does not work with articles that have already been viewed before, maximum 6 points per day).
- For every video you watch you get 1 point (the same video won’t be credited with an extra point if you see it twice, max 6 points per day).
- The time you spend on the app is also rewarded with points: for every 2 minutes of reading an essay, you get 1 point (max 6 points per day).
- For every 5 minutes of watching a video, you get 1 point (max 8 points per day).
- You get 1 point for “subscribing” to a media account, which will then show up in your news feed.
- If you share two articles with friends, you get 1 point.
- You get 1 point for every two articles or essays you ‘save’ within the app.
- If you score 100% on a quiz, you get 10 points.
The app encourages users to ‘Study Xi’ at particular times of the day. The morning 6:00-8:30 timeframe, along with the 12:00-14:00 slot and evening 20:00-22:30 times, are designated as so-called “active time slots” during which users can score double points for their activities. Within these time slots, reading an article would, for example, grant a user 2 points instead of 1.
This signals that, in line with good working morale, people are supposed to look into the app during their morning commute, their lunch break, and before bedtime, and are indirectly discouraged from using it during (office) working hours.
The points that are scored on the app will be valid for two years.
Those who accumulate enough points can exchange them for gifts, such as study books or dictionaries, cinema tickets, or other items, which will then be sent to their home address.
Recently, more places also offer special discounts for people with a high Study Xi score. In those regards, the score system is somewhat similar to Alibaba’s Sesame Credit score, that also allows people with high scores certain benefits.
This month, various scenic spots across China’s Henan province offer people with a score of 1000 or higher free entrance to their sites. Those with 1000 points, for example, get one free entrance ticket to the Zhengzhou Fuxi Mountain scenic spot; those who have 2500 points get five tickets for free.
Another recent example is that ‘Study Xi’ users can now get a discount on tickets for the ballet show Bright Red Star.
#4 Is the app the Little Red Book ‘2.0’?
Foreign media have described the ‘Study Xi’ app as a “high-tech equivalent of Mao’s Little Red Book,” but to what extent is it really?
There is, of course, no straightforward answer here. The Little Red Book and the ‘Study Xi’ app are very different in many ways. The Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong book was first published in 1964 and fully focused on selected quotations by the Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party. More than a book, it became a symbol of the Cultural Revolution and was a talisman for many (also see Mao’s Little Red Book: A Global History).
The ‘Study Xi’ app is not a singular text and goes much further than Xi alone; it has an online database containing texts and videos from dozens of sources and is a platform that allows users to educate themselves on various topics, from architecture to biology and much more.
But one thing to keep in mind is that both the Little Red Book and the ‘Study Xi’ app are propaganda methods that communicate a strong message through a medium that can be easily placed in many locations, reaching a great number of people. They both revolve around their Communist leaders, turning them into political idols, and literally brings Party ideology within a hand’s reach.
By turning the ‘Study Xi’ platform into an app that people can also show at various places to get free tickets, based on their score, they are also turning the app into something that matters in the public domain.
#5 How is the app received by Chinese internet users?
Online responses to the app have been somewhat mixed ever since it came out. For the past months, we’ve been consistently checking online responses to the app. “It’s the app that Party members dread, and non-Party members love” is a comment that popped up on Weibo recently, and it seems to cover a general sentiment: many people appreciate the app, but when it is required of them to use it an to score a certain number of points, they start to dread it.
One popular history blogger (@豢龙有道) recently praised the app on Weibo, saying they had previously not thought of downloading it because they are not a Party member, but now discovered the rich educational sources the app offers. That post was shared over 45,000 times.
The hashtag “‘Study Xi, Strengthen China’ is a treasure app” (#学习强国是个宝藏app#) has been viewed over 180 million times on Weibo, with thousands of commenters applauding the app; they mostly seem to praise its many online educational sources, which include MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) on dozens of subjects, and its online ad-free library of movies, TV dramas, and documentaries.
One general sentiment that most people seem to agree on is that the app is “not bad at all” in how it has been developed and the sources it offers.
In this day and age, Chinese internet users can choose from thousands of different media apps, TV channels, newspapers, and magazines. For the Central Propaganda Department to develop a product that is now being used by millions of people across the country who think it is “not bad at all,” is perhaps really not bad at all.
Also read:
* Gamifying Propaganda: Everything You Need to Know about China’s ‘Study Xi’ App
* Here’s Xi the Cartoon – Online Animations Are China’s New ‘Propaganda Posters’
* Top 5 Most Popular Study and Educational Apps in China
By Manya Koetse
Follow @whatsonweibo
1Translation suggested by Helen Wang @helanwanglondon.
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Manya Koetse is the founder and editor-in-chief of whatsonweibo.com. She is a writer, public speaker, and researcher (Sinologist, MPhil) on social trends, digital developments, and new media in an ever-changing China, with a focus on Chinese society, pop culture, and gender issues. She shares her love for hotpot on hotpotambassador.com. Contact at manya@whatsonweibo.com, or follow on Twitter.
China Brands, Marketing & Consumers
In Hot Water: The Nongfu Spring Controversy Explained
Nongfu and nationalists: how the praise for one Chinese domestic water bottle brand sparked online animosity toward another.
Published
5 days agoon
March 14, 2024PREMIUM CONTENT
The big battle over bottled water has taken over Chinese social media recently. The support for the Chinese Wahaha brand has morphed into an anti-Nongfu Spring campaign, led by online nationalists.
Recently, China’s number one water brand, Nongfu Spring (农夫山泉) has found itself in the midst of an online nationalist storm.
The controversy started with the passing of Zong Qinghou (宗庆后), the founder and chairman of Wahaha Group (娃哈哈集团), the largest beverage producer in China. News of his passing made headlines on February 25, 2024, with one Weibo hashtag announcing his death receiving over 900 million views (#宗庆后逝世#).
The death of the businessman led to an outpouring of emotions on Weibo, where netizens praised his work ethic, dedication, and unwavering commitment to his principles.
Born in 1945, Zong established Wahaha in Hangzhou in 1987, starting from scratch alongside two others. Despite humble beginnings, Zong, who came from a poor background, initially sold ice cream and soft drinks from his tricycle. However, by the second year, the company achieved success by concentrating on selling nutritional drinks to children, a strategy that resonated with Chinese single-child families (Tsui et al., 2017, p. 295).
The company experienced explosive growth and, boasting over 150 products ranging from milk drinks to fruit juices and soda pops, emerged as a dominant force in China’s beverage industry and the largest domestic bottled-water company.
The admiration for Zong Qinghou and his company relates to multiple factors. Zong was loved for his inspirational rags-to-riches story under China’s economic reform, not unlike the self-made Tao Huabi and her Laoganma brand.
He was also loved for establishing a top Chinese national brand and refusing to be bought out. A decade after Wahaha partnered with the France-based multinational Danone in 1996, the two companies clashed when Zong accused Danone of trying to take over the Wahaha brand, which turned into a high-profile legal battle that was eventually settled in 2009, when Danone eventually sold all its stakes.
It is one of the reasons why Zong was known as a “patriotic private entrepreneur” (爱国民营企业家) who remained devoted to China and his roots.
Netizens also admire the Chinese tycoon’s modesty and humility despite his immense wealth. He would often wear simple cloth shoes and, apparently not caring much about the elite social stratum, allegedly declined invitations to dine with Bill Gates and the Queen of England. He had a people-centric business approach. He prioritized the welfare of Wahaha employees, ensuring the protection of pensions for retired workers, establishing an employee stock ownership plan, and refused to terminate employees older than 45.
As a tribute to Zong following his passing in late February, people not only started buying Wahaha bottled water, they also initiated criticism against its major competitor, Nongfu Spring (农夫山泉). Posts across various Chinese social media platforms, from Douyin to Weibo, started to advocate for boycotting Nongfu as a means to “protect” Wahaha as a national, proudly made-in-China brand.
From Love for Wahaha to Hate for Nongfu
With the death of Zong Qinghou, it seems that the decades-long rivalry between Nongfu and Wahaha has suddenly taken center stage in the public opinion arena, and it’s clear who people are rooting for.
The founder and chairman of Nongfu Spring is Chinese entrepreneur Zhong Shanshan (钟睒睒), and he is perhaps less likeable than Zong Qinghou, in part because he is not considered as patriotic as him.
Born in 1954, Zhong Shanshan is a former journalist who started working for Wahaha in the early 1990s. He established his own company and started focusing on bottled water in 1996. He would become China’s richest man.
His wealth was not just accumulated because of his Nongfu Spring water, which would become a leader in China’s bottled water market. Zhong also became the largest shareholder of Wantai Biological Pharmacy Enterprise, which experienced significant growth following its IPO. Cecolin, a vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV), is manufactured by Innovax, a wholly owned subsidiary of Wantai.
The fact that Zhong Shanshan previously worked for Zong Qinghou and later ventured out on his own does not cast him in a positive light, especially in the context of netizens mourning Zong. Many people perceive Zhong Shanshan as a profit-driven businessman who lacks humility and national spirit compared to his former boss. Some even label him as ‘ungrateful.’
By now, the support for Wahaha water has snowballed into an anti-Nongfu campaign, resulting in intense scrutiny and criticism directed at the brand and its owner. This has led to a significant boycott and a sharp decline in sales.
Netizens are finding multiple reasons to attack Nongfu Spring and its owner. Apart from accusing Zhong Shanshan of being ungrateful, one of the Nongfu brand’s product packaging designs has also sparked controversy. The packaging of its Oriental Leaf Green Tea has been alleged to show Japanese elements, leading to claims of Zhong being “pro-Japan.”
Another point of ongoing contention is the fact that Zhong’s son (his heir, Zhong Shuzi 钟墅子) holds American citizenship. This has sparked anger among netizens who question Zhong’s allegiance to China. Concerned that the future of Nongfu might be in the US instead of China, they accuse Zhong and his business of betraying the Chinese people and being unpatriotic.
But what also plays a role in this, is how Zhong and the Nongfu Spring PR team have responded to the ongoing criticism. Some bloggers (link, link) argue their approach lacks emotional connection and comes off as too business-like.
On March 3rd, Zhong himself issued a statement addressing the personal attacks he faced following the passing of Zong Qinghou. In his article (我与宗老二三事), he aimed to ‘set the record straight.’ Although he expressed admiration for Zong Qinghou, many found his piece to be impersonal and more focused on safeguarding his own image.
The same criticism goes for the company’s response to the “pro-Japan” issue. On March 7, they refuted ongoing accusations and stated that the architecture depicted on the controversial beverage packaging was inspired by Chinese temples, not Japanese ones, and that a text on the bottle is about Japanese tea culture originating from China.
Calls for Calmer Water
Although Weibo and other social media platforms in China have recently seen a surge in nationalism, not everybody agrees with the way Nongfu Spring is being attacked. Some say that netizens are taking it too far and that a vocal minority is controlling the trending narrative.
Posts or videos from people pouring out Nongfu water in their sink are countered by others from people saying that they are now buying the brand to show solidarity in the midst of the social media storm.
While more people are speaking out against the recent waves of nationalism, news came in on March 13 that the 95-year-old mother of Zhong Shanshan had passed away. According to an obituary published in the Qianjiang Evening News newspaper, Guo Jin (郭瑾) passed away on March 11.
A screenshot of a WeChat post alleged to be written by Zhong Shanshan made its rounds, in which Zhong blamed the online hate he received, and the ensuing stress, for his mother’s death.
While criticism of Zhong resurfaced for attributing the old lady’s death to “indescribable cyberbullying” (“莫名网暴”), some saw this moment as an opportunity to bring an end to the attacks on Nongfu. As the controversy continued to brew, the Sina Weibo platform seemingly attempted to divert attention by removing some hashtags related to the issue (e.g., “Zhong Shanshan’s Mother Guo Jin Passed Away” #钟睒睒之母郭瑾离世#).
The well-known Chinese commentator Hu Xijin (胡锡进) also spoke out in support of Nongfu Spring and called for rationality, arguing that Chinese private entrepreneurs are facing excessive scrutiny. He suggested that China’s netizens should stop nitpicking over their private matters and instead focus more on their contributions to the country’s economy.
Others are also calling for an end to the waves of attacks towards Nongfu and Zhong Shanshan. Chinese entrepreneur Li Guoqing (李国庆), co-founder of the e-commerce company Dangdang (once hailed as the ‘Amazon of China’), posted a video about the issue on March 12. He said: “These two [Nongfu Spring and Wahaha brands] have come a long way to get to where they are today. The fact that they are competitors is a good thing. If old Zong [Qinghou] were still alive today and saw this division, he would surely step forward and tell people to get back to business and rational competition.”
Li also suggested that Zong’s heir, his daughter Kelly Zong, should come out, broaden her perspective, and settle the matter. She should thank netizens for their support, he argued, and tell them that it is completely unnecessary to exacerbate the rift with Nongfu Spring in showing their support.
But those mingling in the matter soon discover themselves how easy it is to get your fingers burned on this hot topic. Li Guoqing might have meant well, but he also faced attacks after his video. Not only because people feel he is putting Kelly Zong in an awkward position, but also because his own son. like Zhong Shuzi, allegedly holds American citizenship. Perhaps unwilling to find himself in hot water as well, Li Guoqing has since deleted his video. The Nongfu storm may be one that should blow over by itself.
By Manya Koetse
With contributions by Miranda Barnes
References
Tsui, Anne S., Yingying Zhang, Xiao-Ping Chen. 2017. “Chinese Companies Need Strong and Open-minded Leaders. Interview with Wahaha Group Founder, Chairman and CEO, Qinghou Zong.” In Leadership of Chinese Private Enterprises
Insights and Interviews, Palgrave MacMillan.
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China Insight
The ‘Two Sessions’ Suggestions: Six Proposals Raising Online Discussions
These are some of the proposals that triggered online discussion during China’s annual Two Sessions.
Published
2 weeks agoon
March 7, 2024The ‘Two Sessions’ (liǎnghuì 两会), China’s annual parliamentary meetings, are always a significant topic on Chinese social media. This year, the second session of China’s 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) and the second session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) opened at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 4th and will continue until March 10.
The annual gathering of the NPC and CPPCC is a major political event closely watched by both domestic and foreign media as it outlines policy priorities for the upcoming year. The 2023 Two Sessions garnered considerable attention as it marked the first full sessions since the end of the Covid pandemic and the 20th Party Congress.
This year, the ‘Lianghui’ holds particular significance due to China’s post-pandemic economic challenges, including the prolonged downturn in the real estate market, lower demand for Chinese exports worldwide, and reduced confidence among consumers and businesses.
On Chinese social media, smaller topics that emerge during the Two Sessions are often more likely to become trending topics than the broader themes. Besides the fact that the Two Sessions are an important moment because they offer a glimpse into China’s strategical direction, it’s also important because it is a time when delegates from across the country can make their voices heard by elite leaders.
The proposals and “suggestions” (建议) raised by National People’s Congress delegates often turn into trending topics on Chinese social media. In previous years, for example, a proposal to prohibit single women from freezing their eggs in order to encourage them to “marry and reproduce at the appropriate age” raised discussions on Weibo. Another controversial proposal was about shortening the education period as a means to promote China’s birth rates.
This year, there are a few new proposals that received considerable attention online.
#1 Improving Paid Annual Leave
#霍启刚回应建议完善带薪年假制度#
One suggestion that went trending concerned the improvement of China’s paid annual leave system. The proposal was raised by Hong Kong businessman and politician Kenneth Fok (霍启刚). Fok argues that paid time off should be increased as a way to boost domestic tourism and consumption and “increase people’s sense of happiness.”
Although mainland China already has regulations regarding working hours and paid annual leave, they are often not strictly implemented. Fok therefore not only advocates that there should be an increase in entitled leave days for employees, but also that these policies should be enforced more strictly.
Fok’s suggestion is to gradually extend paid annual leave days according to the duration of employment. Employees who have worked at a Chinese company for more than 1 year but less than 10 years would get 5 days off for the first two years, then an extra day each year, up to a maximum of 10 days. In the current system, employees with 1-10 years’ tenure get 5 days off. Only after 10 years, it is increased and becomes 10 days.
One Weibo post by Fok about the proposal received over 67,000 likes. While many young workers support the idea of getting one or more extra days off, some also indicate that changing their working hours is more important to them than getting an extra day off. China’s overtime work culture has been a contentious topic of discussion for years.
#2 Less Focus on Undergraduate Degrees
#建议消除简历第一学历概念#
A second proposal that gained significant attention on Weibo this week was presented by National People’s Congress delegate Pan Fusheng (潘复生). Pan, an academic, argues that in China’s current academic and labor environment, there is excessive emphasis placed on the very first college educational background of applicants. When their first diploma was obtained in non-prestigious universities or colleges, they are often disqualified.
Pan suggests that it is unjust for the entire career trajectory of graduate students and job seekers to be determined solely by the evaluation of their undergraduate degree by potential employers. He therefore proposes to get rid of the graduate degree assessment as a primary criterion in the admission and employment processes for applicants. This also means that graduates from certain prestigious schools, such as Tsinghua or Peking University, should not be favored over others.
Although people do agree that there is unfairness and bias in how applicants are assessed based on their first educational degree, some commenters also remark that this is a social issue, not a legal one.
#3 Supporting Fertility Treatment for Older Women
#多部门建议支持大龄女性生育力保存#
At this year’s Two Sessions, there were multiple proposals jointly submitted by various delegates or groups. Among them is a proposal to provide more fertility treatment options for older women and female cancer patients who are experiencing infertility or have difficulties conceiving.
The proposal, put forward by the National Health Commission and the All-China Women’s Federation, suggests that improving and standardizing fertility treatment procedures is of “strategic importance” to help boost China’s falling birth rates and improving the overall population health.
This proposal raised some discussions online, as many see this as another way for authorities to make women’s fertility and child raising a political issue. Others wonder why the focus is always on on women’s reproductive capabilities instead of focusing on enhancing male fertility.
#4 Harsher Punishment for Online Influencers
#建议加大对网红违法违规的处罚力度#
National People’s Congress delegate Geng Funeng (耿福能) proposes that China’s online influencers, whether they are celebrities or e-commerce stars, should face harsher penalties for involvement in illegal activities.
Geng argues that various incidents involving online influencers and livestreamers in recent years have set a wrong example. To deter others, those engaging in illegal acts, from tax evasion to slander, should be severely punished.
Furthermore, Geng suggests establishing an “Online Celebrity Industry Association” (网红行业协会) to establish clearer norms and rules for those operating within China’s booming internet economy.
However, a thread on Weibo by Chinese news outlet The Paper (澎湃新闻) indicates that Geng’s proposal is not particularly popular among commenters. “They should increase the punishment for civil servants engaging in illegal behavior instead,” one top comment said.
#5 More Protection for Elderly Migrant Workers
#建议关注第一代农民工养老医疗问题#
National People’s Congress delegate Yang Juan (杨娟) has proposed improving policies and data systems to better assist and protect the first generation of Chinese migrant workers.
China is home to approximately 300 million migrant workers who have migrated from rural areas to larger cities in pursuit of better job opportunities. However, due to China’s household registration system, known as the hukou system, they often lack access to various urban public services.
Premier Li Qiang also highlighted the need to enhance social benefits for Chinese migrant workers in the government work report during the Two Sessions in the government work report delivered on March 5th.
Yang Juan’s proposal specifically addresses the challenges faced by elderly migrant workers who were among the first to migrate from rural areas to cities. They now encounter difficulties due to the lack of social safety nets, especially when it comes to healthcare and pensions. One way Yang aims to assist them is by establishing clearer data systems to identify the first generation of migrant workers who are not covered by insurance.
On Weibo, this proposal received a lot of praise since many people feel this is a relevant issue and that Yang is serving as a voice for those vulnerable groups at the lowest rung of society.
#6 Criminal Liability for Owners of Biting Dogs
#建议对伤人犬只饲养者追刑责#
With his proposal, delegate Tuo Qingming (庹庆明) has addressed a sensitive issue that has repeatedly made headlines in China over the past year: the problem of biting incidents involving people’s pet dogs.
Tuo suggests that dog owners should be held criminally responsible if their dog bites, and that this responsibility should be explicitly incorporated into the Criminal Law Amendment.
Various dog biting incidents have recently captured attention in China. While many believe there should be more legislation to prevent such incidents, as they cause significant harm to victims, there is also debate surrounding local crackdowns on dogs, as they are sometimes viewed as unnecessarily cruel.
There is also disagreement in the comment sections regarding this proposal, although the majority of people do agree that there should be better regulation to manage the problem of aggressive dogs. In current dog biting incidents, owners often compensate victims, but it’s considered a civil issue – they usually do not face legal consequences. Some Weibo commenters suggest that dog owners will be more careful in restraining their dogs once they also bear criminal liability.
By Manya Koetse
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©2024 Whatsonweibo. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce our content without permission – you can contact us at info@whatsonweibo.com.
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