On August 12, due to months of unpaid wages, over a thousand workers at Aerospace Zhenbang Precision Machinery Co., Ltd. in Gu’an County, Langfang, Hebei, went on strike. Founded in 2010 and majority-owned by Beijing Aerospace Zhenbang Precision Machinery Co., Ltd., Langfang Aerospace Zhenbang employs 1,500 people, and its products are widely used in major aerospace projects such as the Shenzhou crewed spacecraft and the BeiDou satellite system.
On August 13, under Yongding Bridge near the State Bureau for Letters and Calls in Dongcheng District, Beijing, two interceptors provoked public outrage while abducting a petitioner and were beaten by fellow petitioners.
To prepare for an audit inspection, the Mohe Border Inspection Station in Heilongjiang Province assigned police officer Qiu Hongchao to clean an ornamental rockery on a rainy day, which led to his electrocution and death. Afterwards, in order to evade responsibility, the inspection station deceived his family by claiming he had “drowned” or “fallen to his death.” On August 12, the family discovered that the pond in which Qiu was allegedly drowned was only a few dozen centimeters deep and covered just a few square meters.
In early July, large-scale cracks began to appear in the buildings of the Xingfuli residential community, Phase II of the Wellness Town project in Zhenxiong County, Zhaotong City, Yunnan Province. Hundreds of homeowners have been protesting for a month, but the problem has not been resolved. Instead, on August 9, the protests were suppressed by police, and at least one homeowner was arrested.
On July 31, in Bojiwan, Lvyin Village, Yongfeng Town, Zhaoyang District, Zhaotong City, Yunnan Province, the local authorities dispatched a large number of personnel to forcibly seize villagers’ land, injuring many. They later arrested several villagers who went to the local government to demand an explanation. According to villagers, the seized land had already been violently and forcibly contracted out by the local authorities in 2012. On that day, without having paid the more than 40 million yuan in contracting fees owed for 13 years, the local authorities again resorted to violence to take the land.
Strikes Surge Under the Double Pressure of Economic Downturn and “Mandatory Social Insurance”
Under the dual impact of a slowing economy and tighter social insurance policies, labor disputes in China’s manufacturing sector have intensified, with collective worker actions occurring more frequently. Between August 6 and 11 alone, the “Yesterday” channel recorded seven separate incidents of worker protests in the manufacturing industry, spanning pharmaceuticals, textiles, packaging, auto parts, and semiconductors. The main grievances included unpaid wages, pay cuts, lack of compensation for factory relocations, and unfair severance packages. The seven incidents were as follows:
Shijiazhuang, Hebei: SOE layoffs without compensation leave workers with no recourse From August 6 to 7, dozens of dismissed employees from China National Pharmaceutical Group subsidiary Lerentang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. gathered to demand severance pay. Workers said the company had promised in writing on June 1 to resolve the issue, but reneged a month later—refusing compensation and even demanding that long-serving employees “prove” their years of service, with what workers described as extreme hostility.
Qingyuan, Guangdong: 40% pay cut sparks work stoppage by over 100 workers On August 7 and 9, more than 100 workers at Yiji Garment Co., Ltd. staged two strikes to protest the company’s unilateral decision to slash wages by 40%. Workers said the drastic pay cut made it impossible to sustain their livelihoods.
Guangzhou, Guangdong: Packaging company boss disappears, leaving 200 workers unpaid From August 8 to 11, about 200 workers at Kaiyi Paper Packaging Co., Ltd. staged continuous protests over months of unpaid wages. The mid-sized company, with annual output worth over 100 million yuan, suddenly announced closure on August 8, and the owner went missing. Reports indicate Kaiyi had long operated on razor-thin margins, but a new social insurance regulation set to take effect in September would have added nearly 500,000 yuan in monthly costs—far above its monthly profits of 150,000–240,000 yuan—leading to a cash flow collapse. The case underscores how policy-driven cost increases are pushing low-margin SMEs to the brink.
Minhang, Shanghai: Auto upholstery plant’s severance plan triggers backlash On August 8, hundreds of workers at Guoli Automotive Leather Trim Co., Ltd. protested again over what they called unreasonably low severance terms. The company’s plan offered “2,740 yuan per year of service,” meaning a decade-long employee would receive only 27,400 yuan—dubbed by workers “the lowest payout in Shanghai.” Last November, the firm had already faced worker protests over unpaid wages and covert layoffs, which led to several arrests.
Shenzhen, Guangdong: Workers demand relocation compensation On August 11, employees at Leisong Technology Co., Ltd. in Guangming District went on strike, demanding clear compensation terms as the plant relocated to Huizhou. Workers said the company had been quietly moving equipment without making any commitments about severance or relocation benefits.
Shenzhen, Guangdong: Semiconductor plant closure sparks mass protest over severance On August 11, nearly 1,000 employees of Advanced Semiconductor Equipment Co., Ltd. protested at the factory gates, demanding higher severance. The company had announced closure on August 8, offering only an “N” payout (one month’s salary per year of service). Workers argued that the consistently profitable firm should offer more generous compensation.
Beibei, Chongqing: Long-sidelined workers face forced transfers On August 11, employees at Chongqing Beida Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. protested the company’s demand that workers who had been on “standby” for seven years undergo retraining for new roles. Workers saw the move as a veiled attempt to pressure veteran employees into resigning, noting the company had provided no clarity on the nature, location, or pay of the new positions.
Shifting the burden: Workers’ rights under siege These incidents highlight how rising operational costs and declining orders—driven by economic slowdown and “mandatory social insurance” policies—are ultimately shifting the burden onto rank-and-file workers. From layoffs and wage cuts to unpaid salaries and paltry severance packages, labor rights are under mounting threat. Confronted with such pressures, more workers are refusing to remain silent, choosing instead to take collective action to defend their basic rights.
The original runtime of the documentary The Jiangyou Incident was 37 minutes and 38 seconds, but recently, this number has become a code on Chinese social media. Netizens use “3738” to refer to the documentary and quietly share it underground.
On the evening of August 4, residents of Jiangshanfu Residential Complex in Yongxing County, Hunan, surrounded the Chengguan Central Police Station, shouting “Release them!” to protest the police’s arrest of fellow residents involved in a rights defense action. At the end of July, residents of Yongxingfu launched a protest against the developer for secretly selling the community gate to a business for use as a teahouse. After a daytime clash between residents and the developer on August 4, three residents were arrested by the police.
A case of bullying involving a minor sparked massive protests in Jiangyou City, Sichuan Province, due to unjust handling by the police. Thousands of citizens stood up for the victimized girl, only to be violently suppressed by the police on two occasions. During the demonstrations, protesters chanted slogans demanding the return of democracy. (Special thanks to all contributors for their submissions.)
