分类： society

Chinese policymakers are spearheading a critical movement against the pervasive culture of ‘invisible overtime’ during the ongoing Two Sessions, highlighting how digital connectivity has eroded traditional boundaries between professional and personal time. This modern workplace phenomenon sees employees consistently engaged in work-related communications through digital platforms beyond their official working hours without compensation or recognition.

National Committee member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Lyu Guoquan, previously with the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, identified a significant legislative gap. Current labor regulations define working hours strictly through physical presence metrics, failing to account for remote digital engagements that constitute substantial unpaid labor. This legal oversight leaves millions of workers without protection or compensation for after-hours digital work.

NPC deputy Zhao Mingzhi from Liaoning province emphasized how highly digitalized corporations have institutionalized constant availability expectations. Flexible work arrangements, while beneficial in theory, have created an ‘always-on’ culture where employees face pressure to respond to work communications regardless of the hour, effectively extending working hours far beyond legal limits without documentation or remuneration.

The issue has gained substantial public traction, with a China Youth Daily survey revealing that over 50% of respondents prioritize working hour regulations and the ‘right to disconnect’ among their key concerns for the Two Sessions. This emerging concept would guarantee workers’ legal protection against penalties for refusing non-urgent digital communications outside contracted working hours.

Lyu proposed comprehensive legal amendments to explicitly define work-rest boundaries and establish the right to disconnect as a fundamental worker protection. Additionally, he recommended reforming labor arbitration procedures to simplify evidence collection processes, shifting the primary burden of proof to employers once workers provide preliminary evidence of after-hours work demands.

NPC deputy Lei Maoduan from Shanxi connected excessive overtime to broader societal challenges, noting its impact on family planning decisions among younger generations and overall social sustainability. Lei highlighted how internet companies have normalized extreme work models like ‘996’ (9am-9pm, 6 days weekly) and ‘big/small week’ rotations, often tying extended hours directly to performance evaluations and career advancement.

The proposed solutions include promoting results-oriented workplace cultures rather than time-based metrics, establishing clear after-hours communication guidelines, and implementing persistent legal regulations combined with strict supervision and industry self-discipline. Legislators emphasize that addressing invisible overtime is essential not only for worker dignity and family wellbeing but also for maintaining China’s long-term economic competitiveness in the global market.

As Iranian missiles strike the Gulf region, the area’s vast migrant workforce continues laboring under dangerous conditions with minimal protection. Delivery riders, cleaners, construction workers, and security personnel—primarily from Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and other developing nations—find themselves on the frontlines of a conflict they didn’t create.

Despite escalating violence that has killed at least 12 civilians across Gulf states (all migrant workers from South Asia), these essential workers report receiving no safety guidance, shelter information, or evacuation support. According to Equidem, a human rights organization with investigators across the region, migrant workers experience universal trauma and panic while being systematically excluded from official safety measures.

Executive Director Mustafa Qadri identifies two forms of discrimination: exclusion from safety communications and structural discrimination that forces workers to continue working during attacks. ‘There is a conscious choice made to get workers from relatively poor countries,’ Qadri explains, ‘because they’re less likely to complain or demand protection.’

Delivery riders working for major platforms in the UAE describe continuing to work through attacks with no instruction or choice. ‘I came here to earn money, and working in any situation has become a necessity,’ one Pakistani driver told Middle East Eye. ‘If I do not work, I may go hungry.’

Paradoxically, these workers face increased demand for their services as wealthier residents shelter indoors, relying on delivery apps for basic necessities. Some riders report better tips but describe relentless workloads and empty roads as they move toward danger while others flee.

The crisis highlights historical failures by sending countries—including Nepal, Kenya, India, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia—to provide meaningful consular support. Meanwhile, workers on US and Western military bases face particular vulnerability, as standard procedures typically evacuate Western civilians while essential services continue to be run by migrant workers who remain behind.

Migrant workers have also become primary witnesses to the attacks, with much visual documentation circulating online captured on their phones. This has led to arrests, with Bahrain detaining five Pakistani and one Bangladeshi worker for allegedly praising Iranian strikes while filming aftermath footage.

The emotional toll remains largely unaddressed. As one shopkeeper in Qatar noted, ‘Mental health is passive. It’s about being prepared and navigating this if it prolongs. Spending 15 minutes of our day worrying about falling shrapnel is something people have made peace with.’

Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province – Last week witnessed China Daily’s foreign specialist Samar Kerkeni embarking on an immersive two-day cultural odyssey through the historic city of Yangzhou. The journey offered a profound exploration of traditional Chinese heritage against the backdrop of seasonal transformation.

The inaugural day coincided with Lantern Festival celebrations at Songjiacheng Sports and Leisure Park, where Kerkeni engaged directly with multiple intangible cultural heritage practices. She participated in hands-on workshops demonstrating Yangzhou’s renowned lantern craftsmanship, an artistic tradition dating back centuries that combines intricate paper-cutting techniques with sophisticated lighting designs. The experience provided unique insights into how traditional festivals serve as living repositories of cultural knowledge.

On the subsequent day, the exploration continued through Slender West Lake’s classical gardens, where early spring blossoms created a breathtaking natural panorama. Kerkeni documented the harmonious integration of horticultural artistry with landscape architecture, characteristic of Yangzhou’s UNESCO-recognized garden design philosophy. The sensory experience highlighted how Chinese cities maintain ecological consciousness alongside urban development.

This ethnographic account reveals Yangzhou’s dual identity as both cultural conservator and natural sanctuary, demonstrating how regional Chinese cities preserve ancient traditions while remaining dynamically engaged with contemporary society. The documentation provides international audiences with accessible pathways to understanding China’s diverse regional cultural landscapes beyond metropolitan centers.

Cambodian authorities have announced an ambitious timeline to eradicate the nation’s notorious online scam operations by the conclusion of April, marking a significant escalation in the battle against transnational cybercrime. Senior Minister Chhay Sinarith, overseeing the Commission for Combating Online Scams, revealed in an exclusive interview that since July, the government has identified 250 suspected scam centers and successfully neutralized approximately 200 facilities—representing an 80% closure rate.

The comprehensive crackdown has yielded substantial results: 79 legal cases initiated against 697 alleged orchestrators and accomplices, alongside the repatriation of nearly 10,000 trafficked workers from 23 nations. Fewer than 1,000 individuals remain awaiting official repatriation procedures, with many others having independently returned home following raids.

This criminal ecosystem, which flourished during COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, has been linked to severe human rights abuses. Foreign nationals recruited under false pretenses often find themselves trapped in near-slavery conditions, forced to perpetrate romance and cryptocurrency scams against global victims. UN experts estimate these operations defraud victims worldwide of tens of billions annually.

Cambodian police demonstrated their renewed vigilance Tuesday with a raid on a Phnom Penh high-rise, apprehending 60 Cambodian and Chinese nationals engaged in fraudulent investment schemes targeting European victims. Authorities displayed confiscated equipment including uniforms and fabricated Japanese police credentials used to intimidate targets.

While previous enforcement efforts yielded limited results, the current campaign benefits from strengthened international cooperation with key partners including China and the United States. Post-April operations will focus on preventing criminal networks from reestablishing footholds, addressing a problem that has expanded from its circa-2012 VOIP scam origins into a global phenomenon reaching Africa and Latin America.

During the 2026 National People’s Congress sessions, representatives showcased Yunnan Province’s innovative approach to tourism development through cultural preservation. The discussion emerged as travelers increasingly seek authentic experiences beyond generic internet travel clichés.

China Daily reporter Yan An, drawing from personal experience in Yunnan, engaged with multiple NPC deputies about the province’s groundbreaking strategies. The conversations revealed how Yunnan is redefining sustainable tourism by deeply integrating cultural elements into visitor experiences.

NPC deputy Bamo, an expert in intangible cultural heritage protection, emphasized that meaningful tourism cannot exist independently from its cultural foundations. This perspective aligns with China’s 15th Five-Year Plan draft outline, which explicitly advocates for ‘shaping tourism with culture and showcasing culture through tourism.’

The provincial model demonstrates how cultural assets—from ethnic traditions to historical practices—can enhance tourist engagement while simultaneously preserving indigenous heritage. This dual approach addresses both economic development needs and cultural conservation imperatives, creating a symbiotic relationship between visitors and local communities.

Yunnan’s methodology represents a significant shift from conventional tourism models, focusing instead on creating memorable, culturally immersive experiences that benefit both travelers and heritage bearers. The province’s success offers a replicable framework for other regions seeking to develop sustainable, culturally-grounded tourism economies.

A prominent Chinese political adviser has called for comprehensive reforms to strengthen the cultivation of elite engineering talent, highlighting critical gaps between academic training and industrial requirements. Xin Sijin, Chairman of the University Council at Wuhan University of Technology and a national political adviser, presented a detailed proposal during the ongoing political advisory session emphasizing the urgent need for deeper industry-education integration.

Xin identified several systemic challenges currently hindering the development of top-tier engineers, including insufficient collaborative training bases, limited access to real-world engineering practice opportunities, and inadequate industry participation in educational programs. Despite initiatives launched since 2010 to enhance practical training through specialized undergraduate disciplines for elite engineers, significant obstacles remain in achieving genuine industry immersion.

The adviser specifically advocated for stronger partnerships between universities and leading enterprises, urging corporations to open their research and development environments to students. “We should regularly publish lists of actual engineering challenges and encourage academic teams to address these practical issues,” Xin stated, emphasizing that this approach would significantly enhance students’ problem-solving capabilities.

Xin also highlighted the transformative potential of digital tools in bridging practical training gaps and called for improved management and quality monitoring of joint training programs. “Strengthening the ability to solve complex engineering problems through alternating work and study cycles is absolutely essential,” he added.

Noting that few engineering postgraduates currently experience long-term integration within corporate research environments, Xin proposed national-level incentives to encourage more active enterprise participation. He framed talent cultivation as a societal responsibility rather than merely an academic task, stating that “training engineers impacts the future development of our entire nation.”

Wuhan University of Technology has already implemented innovative collaboration models with industries spanning construction, automotive, and transportation sectors. Through joint R&D centers, students conduct primary research and select thesis topics directly from industrial applications, providing valuable practical experience that bridges theoretical knowledge with real-world challenges.