China netizens condemn professor's 'welfare' comment on gig work

A statement by Peking University economics professor Zhang Dandan, who described gig work as a form of 'welfare,' has ignited a firestorm of criticism across Chinese social media. During a discussion on social protection for flexible workers, Zhang argued that 'flexibility itself is a form of welfare,' contrasting it with the benefits regular employees receive. This framing was met with widespread public anger, with netizens accusing her of being out of touch with the precarious realities faced by millions in China's gig economy.

The controversy underscores deep-seated anxieties about job security in China, where a cooling economy has made stable, full-time employment increasingly difficult to secure. A think tank estimates that the number of flexible workers, those without permanent contracts, will reach 320 million by 2025, constituting approximately 44% of the urban workforce.

Prominent nationalist commentator Hu Xijin, formerly of the Global Times, labeled Zhang's remarks as 'shocking' and 'unacceptable,' calling for her to respond and apologize. Despite the backlash, some social media users pointed to Zhang's previous academic focus on advocating for gig workers' social security. However, her recent framing of flexibility as a benefit was widely perceived as insensitive, with one user stating such comments were 'rubbing salt into the wounds' of those lacking job security. Delivery drivers and couriers, in particular, highlighted the relentless pressure and lack of rest inherent in their work, emphasizing it as an unavoidable choice rather than a preference.