China Gig Work Welfare Remark Sparks Backlash
Peking University professor Zhang Dandan drew widespread public anger in China after describing flexible employment as a form of welfare. The controversy highlights deep anxieties over job insecurity as gig workers approach 320 million.
China will see flexible workers reach 320 million this year, as public backlash mounts against a prominent academic who labeled gig work a form of welfare. The controversy highlights growing anxieties over job security as a cooling economy drives workers into non-traditional employment. Flexible labor now accounts for 44% of the urban workforce, raising long-term concerns for the nation's pension and welfare systems.
