Recently, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has introduced an action plan for the care and protection of mobile children. Experts believe that as the economy on the mainland declines and urban populations diminish, authorities are attempting to attract labor to cities. However, various measures are seen as more superficial than effective, leading to unfulfilled promises.
The CCP’s Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, and 21 other departments issued the “Strengthening Action Plan for the Care and Protection of Mobile Children.” The plan requires the civil affairs department to lead the initiative, with the participation of public security, health departments, among others, to accurately monitor and identify mobile children, build a big data platform, and establish a “Basic List of Care Services for Mobile Children at Their Residences.”
Chinese media reports that this is the first national-level care and protection policy specifically tailored to mobile children. By the end of September 2024, local civil affairs departments are required to complete data collection, enter it into the national child welfare information system, and update mobile children information at least every six months.
Netizens commented, “It’s been over 40 years since the reform and opening up.” “Oh, the first time.” “They are already gravediggers in their hearts.” “Too late.” Some also criticized, “Surveying, filling out forms, grassroots workers are getting busy again.” “Registering new data mines!”
Some parents questioned the purpose of school statistics. Will there be discrimination in treatment? “They are digging up information on ancestors for generations.” “What’s the point of knowing parents’ occupations?”
Mobile children are those who leave their registered residence with their guardians, live away from home for more than six months, are not yet 16 years old; left-behind children are those whose parents both work outside the home or one works outside the home while the other is unable to provide care, and are not yet 16 years old.
Data from China’s seventh national census shows that there are 376 million mobile population and 130-150 million children, accounting for about half of China’s children. Among them, there are as many as 71.09 million mobile children and 66.93 million left-behind children.
In 2016, the CCP’s State Council issued opinions on “Strengthening Care and Protection for Left-behind Children in Rural Areas,” aiming to gradually reduce the phenomenon of left-behind children at its source by providing more support to families of migrant workers and guiding them to return to their hometowns for entrepreneurship. In 2019, the “Opinions on Further Improving the Care Service System for Left-behind and Vulnerable Children in Rural Areas” was introduced, requiring related systems to be included in annual key work assessments.
It is worth noting that in the latest policy, only left-behind children are mentioned in the “monitoring and identification,” aiming to achieve data analysis and dynamic monitoring for mobile and left-behind children. The new policy requires providing professional referrals and training for the parents of mobile children, shifting the focus of “care” from left-behind children to mobile children, with a policy direction shift from “returning to rural areas for farmers” to “integrating into cities.”
Renowned human rights lawyer Lu Shaoping, in an interview with the Epoch Times, stated that in rural China, there are numerous left-behind children, and incidents of abuse and bullying are rampant. The Communist Party issues policies and talks nicely, but in reality, issues such as left-behind children’s education and living conditions have not improved. These policies are often superficial and lack practicality.
Reflecting on the situation in Chinese society, Lu mentioned that the urban population is decreasing, prompting authorities to attract more people to cities under the guise of caring for mobile children. Additionally, with the real estate market in cities sluggish, the government may seek to protect urban real estate. By luring farmers to cities, under the pretext of care, in essence, they aim to empty your pockets.
Renowned activist Chen Guangcheng, in an interview with the Epoch Times, pointed out that with the current economic downturn, people who used to go out to work during the Spring Festival can’t find jobs as the entire construction industry is stagnant, affecting businesses like building materials stores. These people return to the countryside but struggle to find work, resorting to farming like in the 1980s. The CCP wants ordinary people to buy houses in cities when they can’t afford them, reflecting the harsh reality in China.
He emphasized that the fundamental issue lies in the CCP’s incompetence as they lack the ability to manage the country through a market economy and continue to lead with a dictatorship that attempts to control everything. The vicious cycle persists in various industries, indicating a governance failure.
In the “Basic List of Care Services for Mobile Children at Their Residences,” preschool children are entitled to inclusive early childhood education, financially challenged mobile children receive living allowances, high school students receive scholarships, and students can take college entrance exams locally. Eligible families of mobile children may receive public housing or rental subsidies. Disabled individuals receive allowances, and parents of mobile children are offered professional referrals and training.
Shaoping believes that once the CCP’s welfare policy transitions to actual implementation, it turns into empty promises, lacking a concrete timeline. For instance, providing scholarships, allocating resources, and resolving healthcare issues require financial investment. With local governments already struggling financially, are they willing to shoulder these expenses?
“In the current situation where the CCP’s finances are not sufficient, where will the additional financial support for mobile children come from? Will these parents have to cover the costs themselves? If the local government can’t sustain its own departments, how can they support the children of the people? The CCP doesn’t have such benevolent intentions.”
He pointed out that this new document is an administrative policy of a State Council department and does not have the force of law. The feasibility and predictability of CCP policies are poor, especially with the current economic hardships, making abrupt changes more likely.
Chen further criticized the lack of substantial actions resulting from the CCP’s actions. Sending a person from the civil affairs department to visit villages is an insufficient response. Singing praises alone is ineffective – where is the tangible impact? For example, a proof of residence should suffice for a child to study nearby.
He cited the Disability Rights Law implemented in 1991, mentioning that apart from allowing blind individuals to ride public transport for free, there is little practical support. Despite his lawsuit efforts, he had to pay for using the subway in Beijing until 2003.
“Symbolic subsidies are insufficient. The Communist Party knows how to act but chooses not to. It freely spends billions in other countries but remains slogan-oriented in addressing domestic welfare issues.”
Chen asserted that the CCP’s separation of families, preventing them from living together, is a crime, regardless of the appealing rhetoric. Failure in addressing these issues reflects a governance failure.
Both experts agreed that the CCP’s current policy towards mobile children also aims to address China’s very low birth rate, intending to boost population growth with favorable policies.
Shaoping stated, “Why introduce this so-called action plan now? It’s because they realize they’ve been excessively exploiting the people and fear running out of resources in the future, a significant factor. Besides, they can’t just send everyone back to the countryside. The real estate market, employment, and economic development in cities require a significant labor force.”
Guangcheng added that in recent years, the CCP has realized the severity of the population issue and hastily changed policies to encourage childbirth, even forcing people to have children. With the current generation lacking, they’ve started to pay attention to this aspect.
“The CCP previously considered these populations and newborns as burdens, almost wishing they didn’t exist. With a birth rate of only 0.7-0.9, far below the normal society’s average of 2.1 for ecological balance maintenance, the annual birth rate of about 8 million nationwide is alarming.”