Policy & Regulation - China's highest court ruling makes waiving social insurance contributions impossible for workers and employers [1] - Employers must now pay financial compensation if an employee terminates a contract due to unpaid social insurance [2][3] - Economists suggest the government may revise the policy later on if the impact is huge, potentially by delaying implementation or creating easing measures [10] Social Impact & Concerns - Many individuals voluntarily waive social insurance for higher pay, raising concerns about the impact on companies, especially SMEs [4] - Concerns exist that the money paid now will benefit the elderly, with uncertainty about future support for contributors due to low birth rates [5] - Social insurance inequality is a concern, with state-owned employees receiving approximately twice the payouts compared to private firm employees, and rural residents receiving less than 10% of what urban residents in private firms get [6][7] Economic Implications - Aging population strains the pension system, with 20 million people retiring annually over the next decade and fewer people entering the workforce [7][8] - The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences forecast in 2019 that the state pension system could run out of money by 2035 [9] - Survey indicates less than 30% of companies were fully compliant with paying social insurance [3]

A ruling by China’s highest court has made it impossible for workers and their employers to waive social insurance contributions, raising the risk of a shock to the labor market https://t.co/CL9i56NRwZ ...