A worker moves pieces of steel machinery at a manufacturing company in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, on June 16, 2025. AFP via Getty Images
In the past week, widespread reports have emerged from cities across China that public employees, including civil servants, teachers, health care workers, and state-owned enterprise (SOE) workers, are not getting paid on time.
On Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, users are sharing a growing wave of posts exposing wage delays at local government agencies and public institutions. The disclosures have triggered mounting public concern about the financial stability of China’s local governments, many of which are struggling under the weight of debt, falling tax revenue, and a collapsing real estate market.
Reports of Wage Delays Ripple Nationwide
On June 27, a blogger in Shenyang went viral after posting a list of public departments allegedly unable to make payroll.
