Beijing will provide $6 a month for low-income workers to cope with rising food prices. However, this move made people angry because they thought that this level of support was too low.
The announcement comes amid a rapid increase in food prices in China after the country ended its Zero COVID policy and monetary easing to support the recovery momentum.
According to the Beijing Development and Reform Commission, the city's economic regulator, the city's more than 300,000 low-income workers will receive a monthly allowance of 40 yuan ($6). The first support is expected to be issued this month, but it is not clear how long the policy will last.
"In January, the price of food in Beijing increased by 6.6% and qualified for the activation of the support program. We will try to maintain a basic standard of living for people," the Beijing Daily quoted an official as saying. position at the Commission said on February 17.
China has launched a support program for low-income people since 2011, which distributes cash to those in need when the consumer price index (CPI) or food reaches a certain threshold. Each city or region will have its own standards because the cost of living varies from place to place.
Information about this support from the authorities was not warmly received by the people. On Chinese social media, many people complain about the high cost of living in Beijing and criticize China's social security system.
"40 Yuan per month? Seriously? Just taking the subway to the place to get support and then going back is already 8 yuan," one person commented on Weibo, while another said the amount. This is "just enough to buy a bowl of noodles".
“Shouldn't we question this move? Do you think the current welfare system in our country is good? Does it meet human needs?”, one person said.
Some people even expressed dissatisfaction with the Chinese government's debt forgiveness of billions of dollars for other countries while only supporting 40 yuan for people. China's CPI in January increased by 2.1% year-on-year, in which food prices increased by more than 6%. In Beijing, the increase in food prices was even higher than the national average, with vegetable prices alone increasing by 24% last month.