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Today — 28 August 2025News

Xi shows Trump who holds the cards as he sets up meeting with Kim and Putin

28 August 2025 at 15:13
Getty Images Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives at the G20 leaders summit on June 28, 2019 in Osaka, Japan. Getty Images

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attending a military parade in the centre of Beijing, alongside Russian president Vladimir Putin and China's leader Xi Jinping, is quite the photo-op.

It's also a key diplomatic win for Xi.

The Chinese leader has been trying hard to project Beijing's power on the international stage - not just as the world's second-largest economy, but also as a diplomatic heavyweight.

He has emphasised China's role as a stable trading partner while Trump's tariffs upended economic relationships.

Now, while a deal with Putin to end the war in Ukraine continues to elude the US President, Xi is getting ready to host him in Beijing.

Kim's attendance, a surprise announcement, is no less significant. Trump said last week, in a meeting with the South Korean president, that he wanted to meet Kim Jong Un again.

His last shot at diplomacy with the reclusive dictator ended with no breakthroughs - despite two summits that captivated the world. Trump is suggesting he wants to try again.

Meanwhile, the Chinese leader is signalling that he may hold the geopolitical cards in this game, and that his influence – though limited – on both Kim and Putin may prove crucial in any deal.

The parade on 3 September will see a display of China's military might to mark 80 years since Japan surrendered in World War Two, bringing an end to its occupation of parts of China.

But now Xi has also turned it into a display of something more - and the timing is key. The White House has suggested that President Trump could be in the region at the end of October and is open to meeting Xi.

There is plenty on the table for them to discuss, from a long-awaited tariffs deal and the sale of TikTok in the US, to Beijing's ability to persuade Putin to agree to a ceasefire or more in Ukraine.

Now, having met both Kim and Putin, the Chinese leader would be able to sit down with Trump without feeling like has has been left out of the loop – and given his close relationship with both leaders, he may even have information his US counterpart does not.

Russia and North Korea are pariahs in the eyes of the western world. Kim for much longer than Putin because of his weapons programme, but his support for Moscow's invasion of Ukraine has renewed the condemnation.

So the invitation to Beijing is a big step for him - the last time a North Korean leader attended a military parade in China was in 1959.

There has been little public contact between Xi and Kim since 2019, when they met to mark the 70th anniversary of China-North Korean ties. Beijing was also Kim Jong Un's first stop in 2018 before his summits with President Trump to curb Pyongyang's nuclear programme.

More recently, Xi even appeared to be on the sidelines of a deepening Moscow-Pyongyang alliance, one that perhaps Beijing wanted no part of.

Getty Images Close up photo of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian leader Vladimir Putin standing side by sideGetty Images
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has brought Kim Jong Un and Vladmir Putin closer

China has tried to stay publicly neutral on the war in Ukraine, while urging a peaceful solution. But the US and its allies have accused Beijing of supporting Moscow's efforts by supplying components Russia can use in its war effort.

Some analysts wondered if China's relationship with North Korea had soured as Kim grew closer to Putin. But Kim's visit to Beijing next week suggests otherwise.

It's not a relationship the North Korean leader can easily give up - his economy depends heavily on China, which provides almost 90% of food imports. And being on that stage with not just Putin and Xi, but other leaders, from Indonesia, Iran etc, also offers Kim legitimacy.

For Xi, this is diplomatic leverage with Washington ahead of a possible summit with Trump.

The two countries have continued talks to try and strike a deal and avert ruinous tariffs and a trade war. Another 90-day pause is under way but the clock is ticking, so Xi will want the strongest hand possible as negotiations go on.

He has much to offer: China has helped Trump in the past when he tried to meet Kim Jong Un. Could Xi do that again?

More important perhaps is what role China could play in ending the war in Ukraine.

The most striking question of all: could there be a meeting between Xi, Putin, Kim and Donald Trump?

Fired CDC director says RFK 'weaponising public health' as more leaders quit agency

28 August 2025 at 17:36
Getty Images Susan Monarez, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) nominee for US President Donald Trump, during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. She is seen wearing a grey blazer, with shoulder length grey hair, looking at Senate committee members to the right off camera.Getty Images
Susan Monarez was confirmed to lead the US public health agency by the Senate in July

The White House says it has fired the director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Susan Monarez, after she refused to resign on Wednesday.

In a statement, it said she was "not aligned with the president's agenda" and she had been removed from her position at the health agency.

The US health department earlier announced her departure, which prompted a statement from Dr Monarez's lawyers who said she had not been told of her removal and she would not resign.

They said she was being targeted for refusing "to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts" and accused Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr of "weaponising public health".

"As her attorney's statement makes abundantly clear, Susan Monarez is not aligned with the president's agenda," the White House said later on Wednesday, adding that she had been terminated from her position as director.

A long-time federal government scientist, Dr Monarez was nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the CDC and was confirmed in a Senate vote along party lines in July.

Her nomination followed Trump withdrawing his first pick, former Republican Congressman Dave Weldon, who had come under fire for his views on vaccines and autism.

Almost immediately after Dr Monarez's departure was first announced by the health department, at least three senior CDC leaders resigned from the agency.

Among them was Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry, who warned about the "rise of misinformation" about vaccines in a letter seen by the BBC's US partner CBS News. She also argued against planned cuts to the agency's budget.

Daniel Jernigan, who led the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, also quit citing "the current context in the department".

Head of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Demetre Daskalakis, also said he was no longer able to serve "because of the ongoing weaponising of public health".

There are also reports, including by NBC News, that Dr Jennifer Layden, director of the Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance and Technology, has also resigned.

The exodus comes as health experts voice concern over the agency's approach to immunisations under the leadership of Kennedy, a vaccine sceptic.

Getty Images Demetre Daskalakis wears glasses and a suit in the White House briefing roomGetty Images
Dr Demetre Daskalakis fronts a press conference about Monkeypox at the White House in 2022

Earlier on Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved new Covid vaccines while limiting who could receive them.

The vaccines will be available for all seniors, but younger adults and children without underlying health conditions will be excluded.

"The emergency use authorizations for Covid vaccines, once used to justify broad mandates on the general public during the Biden administration, are now rescinded," Kennedy wrote on X.

Dr Monarez was the first CDC director in 50 years to not hold a medical degree. Her background is in infectious disease research.

In her month as the CDC leader, she helped comfort agency employees after the CDC's headquarters in Atlanta was attacked by a gunman who believed he had been harmed by Covid vaccines.

The attack, in which hundreds of bullets struck the building, killed one police officer.

Earlier this month, current and former employees of the agency wrote an open letter accusing Kennedy of fuelling violence towards healthcare workers with his anti-vaccine rhetoric.

Dr Monarez departure comes about a week after a union representing CDC employees announced that it had fired about 600 employees.

The wide-ranging layoffs included employees working on the government's response to infectious diseases, including bird flu, as well as those researching environmental hazards and handling public record requests.

Caning and fines for those caught in Singapore drug vape crackdown

28 August 2025 at 16:34
Getty  Images A close-up of the lower half of a man's face as he exhales a white cloud of vape smoke, while he clutches a black coloured vape close to his faceGetty Images
While Singapore was one of the first places in the world to ban vaping in 2018, the practice has persisted

Singaporean authorities have announced tougher penalties for vaping as they try to crack down on the increasing use of drug-laced vapes in the country.

These include stiffer fines, longer jail terms and even caning. Foreigners may also be deported.

While Singapore was one of the first places in the world to ban vaping in 2018, the practice has persisted and in recent months the city-state has seen a rise in popularity of vapes laced with etomidate, an anaesthetic drug.

This has caused widespread alarm in the country which has some of the world's toughest drug laws.

In recent months, authorities have acknowledged the growing prevalence of etomidate-laced vapes, more popularly known as Kpods in Singapore. The nickname is short for "ketamine pods" and refers to how etomidate has similar effects to ketamine.

A test of a random sample of 100 seized vapes in July found that a third contained etomidate.

Videos of teenagers and young adults acting erratically in public while vaping have also gone viral on social media, sparking concern among Singaporeans who widely support the country's tough penalties on drug trafficking and use.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said on Thursday that the tougher laws were needed as "vapes have become a gateway for very serious substance abuse" where the devices have become "delivery devices" for drugs.

The government has sharpened its penalties for vaping, while reclassifying etomidate as a Class C controlled drug for six months. The new rules will come into effect on 1 September.

Those caught vaping - even if they use regular vapes - will face increased fines starting from S$500 (£288; $390) and state-mandated rehabilitation. The penalties will be even harsher for those caught with etomidate-laced vapes.

Suppliers of drug-laced vapes will face up to 20 years in jail and 15 strokes of the cane.

Foreigners working in Singapore will not only face the same penalties, but also risk getting their residential and employment permits revoked, and may be deported and banned from re-entering the country.

The rules also apply to tourists. The BBC understands that signs will be placed throughout Changi Airport reminding arriving visitors of the vaping ban, along with vape disposal bins so that users can get rid of their devices without facing penalties.

The rules are intended as an interim measure while the government comes up with new laws to deal with etomidate and any other drug that could be delivered through vapes.

These measures come on top of a large-scale public health campaign and enforcement programme.

In recent weeks the island has been blanketed with government advertisements on buses, trains and public areas urging people to stop vaping, while local media outlets have been awash with reports on the issue.

Vape disposal bins have been placed in community clubs and universities, while an anti-vaping health education programme has been rolled out in schools.

Authorities have also launched roving patrols of trains, bus terminals and parks, where officials can conduct spot checks on members of the public and search their bags.

With many of the vapes in Singapore coming from neighbouring countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia, authorities have also stepped up checks at land crossings, the airport, and other points of entry into the island.

Singapore's crackdown comes as other countries have moved to impose stiffer rules on vaping to curb the use among children and young people.

In June, the UK banned the sale of disposable vapes, after Belgium did so in January.

Australia has banned vaping in some form since 2023, starting with non-prescription vapes and then disposable vapes.

正面连接|我在国企干“脏活”

28 August 2025 at 18:45

file

我到底是真的为大家做了好事,还是已经在助纣为虐而不自知?

2023年,我研究生毕业,进入一所国企在家乡的省公司,任职于一个不用背负经营业绩指标的管理部门。这是一份在人们眼中“稳定、体面、不受累”的工作,是个铁饭碗。但我很快意识到这不是一份承诺一切的理想工作。两年之后,2025年,我裸辞了。

我初入国企工作的故事《一个国企文秘的职场修养》于8月25日发表,接下来是第二部分。

2024年9月,我在这家国企综合部新闻宣传岗已经工作超过一年。我认为自己做的大部分事情都是“狗屁工作”,不产生什么实际价值。直到最近,我才意识到我手里握有权力,而我还可以使用手中的权力,影响其他同事的处境。

CDT 档案卡
标题:我在国企干“脏活”
作者:赵书信
发表日期:2025.8.28
来源:微信公众号“正面连接”
主题归类:国企
CDS收藏:公民馆
版权说明:该作品版权归原作者所有。中国数字时代仅对原作进行存档,以对抗中国的网络审查。详细版权说明

“ysxt工作”与我的权力

事情要从“线上阵地意识形态管理工作”说起。所谓“线上阵地”,其实就是社交媒体账号。意识形态管理,就是要监控这些账号的内容。

简单来说,在社交媒体上,任何包含我司名称+我省地名的账号(比如,“N省A公司佳佳”、“C市A公司一枝花”、“N省A公司F市分公司908”、“xx市场北门A公司营业厅”、“西花园A公司营业厅”),无论是员工主动开设的,还是不知名人员以我司名义注册的,都要管理。

具体来说,对于公司部门注册运营的账号,我需要管理它们:1.是否存在内容上不符合规范之处,比如是否存在危害国家领土、主权完整的内容;2.是否存在党旗、党徽、天安门等符号的误用。而对于不知名人员以我司名义开设的账号,它们的存在本身就是意识形态风险。

有趣的是,意识形态这四个字有的时候也是一种风险,需要避讳。在各类文字表述中,除非是正式的制度文件,党建工作部永远称之为“ysxt工作”。

我至今记得这项工作如何落在我的头上。2023年11月的某天下午,党建工作部突然要求一众部门出席“各个阵地ysxt风险把控”会议。会议室里,党建工作部领导坐在会议桌首席,不等我的领导开口说话,就严肃发言:不管内外部,你们一定得严肃处理“不合规”的新媒体运营动作,定你们的制度!明确你们的管理举措!你们先把大棒挥起来!边说着,边在空中有力地把手一挥,做出一个抓握的手势。

这是党建工作部一贯的工作方式,作为牵头单位,他们有权力将本部门工作任务拆分至公司其他相关部门,再作为总负责人定期向各部门索要资料。

管理分三个步骤。首先是发现:去各大社交媒体人肉检索,有多少账号名字、头像、认证中带着我司名字,但却不属于我司官方账号。

其次是整改:对这些野生“风险”账号逐个私信沟通,告知对方不得随意使用我司名号,要求其限时更名或注销账号。倘若对方无回应,则向平台举报要求注销账号。

假如以上手段对某一账号均不奏效,那就要执行第三步,将该账号纳入台账(excel表格的体制内说法),然后“动态监管”起来。动态监管,既指多长时间内必须再去检查一次该账号是否发布内容。

我内心觉得这项工作荒谬至极,我们有什么权力管理毫无关系的人的社交媒体账号?但这项工作来自党建工作部,而党建考核和巡视巡察会影响全公司评分、荣誉,进而层层责任到人,影响员工绩效。我不得不按要求完成。

向上,我要对党建工作部及其他检查单位汇报,向下,我要带领各部门及地市分公司相关负责人落实工作。我的决策将直接决定各单位开展这项工作的高度和工作量。每次要求各单位向我上报材料时,我总是连连向对方表示歉意和感谢。

2024年一季度,D市分公司同事李姐打来电话向我请教,无法确定账号主身份,也无法与运营人员取得联系的账号,是否还需要动态监管?

我明白,她这不是请教,而是一种抱怨,毕竟我们已经按照这样的方式工作半年了,规则早已明确。因为愧疚,我对这样的情绪照单全收,同时安抚她:我理解大家的想法,但工作要求就是如此,我也被党建死死薅着。这不是假话,私下里,我的自嘲更加露骨,戏称自己为党建工作部的编外人员、下属部门,是“党建部的丫鬟”。

至于省公司各部门,态度则明显不耐。要不来材料是家常便饭,多问几次,相关负责人冷哼着反问,那人家就是不改名不注销咋办呢?第一次被问到时,我自觉心虚,不知如何回答。钉子碰多了,我也烦了,直接搬出党建:发现问题直接扣党建考核分,部门总经理带你去找党建部总经理,你自己看怎么处理吧。

每次统计各部门及分公司上报的表格时,最大的考验在于对上数目。理论上来说,当期账号总数=新增账号数+上一季度存量账号数,但实际统计中,上期账号总数+本期新增账号数与本期表格上账号总数对不上是常有的事,有时多一两个,有时又少一两个。我料定没有人会逐个对每期台账上的账号细节,便自己编上一两个账号,让账号数目看起来没有端倪。

image

但随着巡视巡察工作的开展,我糊弄这项工作的日子到了尽头——当初请教我的李姐,被巡察组检查出了意识形态风险问题:一个带着该公司名字的非官方新媒体账号不在监测台账当中。我们部门收到了一份党建工作部发出的“风险提示单”。

邮件发到我的邮箱,也抄送给了我的领导玉珍姐。风险提示单最后说:“对于屡次发现同类问题,党建工作部将提请对综合部相关负责人进行约谈;对于自查督查问题整改不彻底、问题屡查屡犯等情况,党建工作部将对党组织书记提出问责建议。”

这句威胁激怒了玉珍姐,她迅速给党建工作部打去电话,厉声质问对方:你说要约谈我的领导,依据是什么?说什么‘屡次发现问题’,你自己想想这项工作每年有多少材料都是从我们这里出来的?你们这项工作做的也太形式主义了!她此前在那里任职,接电话的人是她原来的同事。

也不知对面同事如何回复,挂断这通电话后,玉珍姐紧接着将电话拨给任总——他现在是党建工作部副总经理,正分管关于意识形态相关工作,两人几乎等同于职务对调。玉珍姐的态度更加强硬,责怪任总办事太不讲究:去年你在综合部的时候,我什么时候给你们发过风险提示单?现在你连一句话没有,上来就说要约谈我领导?你们这项工作这么做合适吗!

我一贯知道玉珍姐在涉及自己工作责任划分时非常强硬,“厘清责任田”是她在工作中常向我强调的点,但我从未见过她如此愤怒。

但她的怒火没有效果,党建工作部最后的说辞是,为什么巡察能发现,综合部却发现不了?事情最终只能向内,回到我头上。

玉珍姐帮我翻译巡察组的意思——他们认为我们没有真正下力气做这项工作。她指导我开展整改:

小赵你记着,这次整改,包括今后每季度开展这项工作,都必须以邮件发送工作要求,一定做到工作痕迹充分。另外,三季度的新闻信息通报里,对涉及到这类账号的地市点名批评,要他们狠狠重视!

玉珍姐一只手插在裤兜里,另一只手伸出食指在虚空中用力往前一戳,“狠狠重视”四字,仿佛是从牙缝里咬出来一般。

我从一些职场博主那里学习着,尽量把领导当合作伙伴,尤其是共同面对其他部门时。我抱怨道,那到底要做到什么程度,才能算好好做了这项工作?平台的搜索机制我们怎么能说得清啊,迪士尼都还允许人在网上带这三个字注册,咱们怎么管得住人家要注册个什么名字的账号啊……巡察组这不就是让人自证吗,这种工作哪里有尽头?

玉珍姐摆摆手,一如我答复地市分公司一般:现在工作形式如此,没办法。

我苦笑一声不再多说,打开办公软件,准备写整改举措计划。玉珍姐对此的指导是:给别人的东西,最要紧的是不要给自己挖坑,一定要写能落实的。我想让kimi帮忙生成,却发现自己根本无法和大模型讲清我的需求,这是一个什么样的事件?大模型能明白什么是“严谨而不给自己挖坑”的举措吗?

接下来的一周,我都在整改中度过。条线整改自然需要所有相关人员配合,不想李姐竟在此时又和我“探讨”起来:非公司开设的账号是不是可以不纳管?

我实在没有想到对方竟会再向我提出这样的问题,在我因她工作不力已经触了霉头背上整改要求的当下。怒火涌上心头,我反问:这是哪里的依据?

她找出一段毫无关系的规章条文。我终于抛掉了在自己空间富有余裕时对基层执行者的体谅,语气冷硬地训斥道,为什么还向我提这个问题?这个我们不是早就说过了吗?就算找不到是公司谁开的账号,只要带上你们公司的名字、能被搜出来就要纳管啊?做了这项工作这么久,这种基本的标准你不应该不知道吧。

对方一时也嗫嚅,我懒得多说一句,硬梆梆丢下一句“行了就这样吧”挂断电话。手机才往桌上一扔,我又感到后悔:因为自己被要求了,就用更严苛的标准给下位者加码,这不是平庸之恶又是什么?过去很多个时刻,我作为nobody,在这种逻辑下被要求遵守莫名其妙、毫无意义的规则,甚至遭受无妄之灾。而今,我自己也成了一个小生态中平庸之恶的一环。

不断增殖的脏活

不久后,全公司的各项表格数据终于反馈到我手里,我马不停蹄在电脑上建起三个新文件夹,“零报告部门”、“官方账号排查”、“存在问题部门”,文件夹中分别建起台账,每个台账分为三个sheet:sheet1命名为“督查、自查及整改情况台账”,意在体现整改中的过程性动作;sheet2名叫“需动态监测的账号”;sheet3则是各部门的动态监测台账,按日期在每个账号下打对钩,表示该账号在监测中。

统计好总表后,最糟糕的情况发生了,最新一期表格显示共有89个账号,然而上季度账号总数加上本期新增,竟然比本期账号总数少了十个。我不愿意相信,重新打开各单位上报的表格,复制、粘贴、下拉排序。重复两次,缺失的账号依然没有出现。我认命了,开始跟着kimi现学EXECL数据核对,再逐个和数据对不上的部门打去电话。

一个账号,三个账号,五个账号……到第九个账号时,我再次卡住了。此时已经下班一小时,我有些崩溃,摘下眼镜往桌上一扔,哀嚎着在椅子上靠下来。电话那头B分公司的同事约莫三十出头,平时沟通工作总是干脆地回复“我去办” “我去问”,此刻,她少有地犹豫:实在凑不上的话,我手头还有两个账号……

是什么样的账号?我稍微挺起后背。

头像带着我们的logo,但是名字上看不出来。B公司同事回答。

我几乎是从靠椅上一跃而起:发过来,我加到上季度的存量账号上去。终于够了!

眼见两张表格的数终于配平,我喜气洋洋地挂断电话,忍不住将两手紧紧握成拳在空中有力划过后向怀里一收,仿佛交响乐团指挥家的最后一舞。

事实证明,我高兴的太早了。第二天,玉珍姐想到了另一种办法体现我们的认真程度:在表格中补充每一个账号的开设时间、最近一次发布内容时间,以向领导证明,这些账号都是长期不更新的“无害”死号。

如果她的这项要求不是针对这项工作提出,不是在周五下班前提出,不是在我已经做完汇总整理之后才提出,我或许不会崩溃。但在当时,在我满怀期待以为可以送走这项脏活时,我的领导又教会我一个道理:脏活之脏,一部分重要原因就在于其生命力顽强,总在意想不到的地方增殖。

我的情绪管理只够自己发出“嗯”的音节。才一坐回椅子上,我就觉得喉头已经梗住,眼泪滑出眼眶。我不想发出声音,一边用卫生纸胡乱吸自己的眼泪,一边在群里通知全省各位负责整改的同事再补充两列信息。

一项毫无意义的工作,上升到意识形态的高度,变成常态化工作,纳入考核、巡察,再转化成风险提示单、督办单,最后落成自查排查、台账。只要我还在这个体系里,我就必须去面对和解决对方提出的问题。即便我不想解决,为了充分证明“责任不在我”,我也要花费极大的功夫。

而由于省公司各职能部门并不直接承担生产经营任务,因此他们不需要开设各类新媒体账号宣传业务,在实际的执行过程中,排查整改工作几乎都落在地市分公司头上。我的一切动作都会切切实实变成基层单位的工作量,让原本已经身兼数职的分公司秘书也为这种狗屁工作反复奔波,夹缠不清。

做有必要做的工作,不要额外加码,让大家过得舒服,这件事有这么困难吗?我被愧疚、烦躁和无力感一起碾过。眼看办公室已经空无一人,我干脆放声大哭起来。

我要改变制度

十月,整改终于结束。十一月,党建工作部要对公司《阵地管理办法》进行修订,小利主任提醒我,这是重新划定责任的有利时机。

直到此时,我才真正感受到“管理部门”权力何在。如果全公司涉及到这项工作的人都要按照我的指令来做事,那么我能为大家创造什么样的工作空间就至关重要。

现在,我必须为自己的条线站出来争夺边界。我要做的事其实很简单,就是论证“综合部不对过往已产生的非官方新媒体账号负责”,但这也很难,因为按照我司的做事原则,仅靠常识来论证是不够的,这是不担责、畏难情绪重的表现,我既需要援引本条线已经发布的制度,也需要研究出党建工作部的漏洞以及对我们不利的地方。

我调出所有相关文件,既看党建部发文,也向集团办公室请教这项工作在总部的划归与开展情况,并和其他省公司沟通。我把所有论据都用笔划好,贴上便签。随后开始为玉珍姐撰写上会材料。

这恐怕是我进公司之后对制度研究最认真的一次。而在撰写资料的过程里,我终于意识到这项工作最根本的荒谬之处:权力超过了自己的边界。一个公司的管理权力仅能对自己所属员工生效,把手伸到别人的田间地头,这种工作怎么可能做得下去?于是我在初版资料中形成如下结论:

“根据集团公司相关责任划分,综合部对由公司各部门根据业务发展及品牌文化建设宣传需求开设的官方账号负有管理责任。对开设主体不明的非官方新媒体账号,按照“谁主管谁负责,谁使用谁负责,谁审批谁监管”的权责明确原则,综合部对该类账号及账号所有人无审批、管理权限,不负管理责任,建议党建工作部与集团公司整体沟通。”

玉珍姐对我的材料大致满意,但要求我将集团条线的分工挺在最前,既然集团办公室不负责非官方新媒体账号的排查整改,那么各省公司也不该承接党建工作部相关要求,于是汇报材料最终调整成两点:

1.请公司党建工作部与集团公司党建工作部沟通,根据条线管理职责划分本省意识形态管理责任,落实意识形态管理职责,沟通管理工具,确保条线管理职责的一致性。

2.根据集团公司相关责任划分,综合部对本省公司官方账号负有备案监管责任。开设主体不明的非官方新媒体账号,综合部对该类账号及账号所有人无审批、管理权限,不负管理责任,建议党建工作部与集团公司党建工作部沟通相关工作。

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作为员工,我能做的工作已经到此为止。我像家长送孩子进考场一般把我的领导送进会场。几个小时后,玉珍姐一踏进办公室门口便扬声喊我:小赵,和党建部说好了。”

我赶忙站起身来,只见她扬手将一叠上会材料往桌上一丢,宣告战果:以后该项工作按属地责任来划分,哪个地市出问题自己担责,省公司不再受连带责任一同整改。

玉珍姐进会场前,我已经想象到或许结果不会尽如我意,但没想到她带来的消息竟然和我的意图南辕北辙。我本想为整个条线撇清责任,让地市分公司减轻工作量,但从结果上却成了我撇清自己。那些向我汇报这项工作的人看到这条新规定会是什么表情?

我无法接受这项工作呈现出“我给下级单位甩锅”样子。向上的空间已经消失,如今要挽回这种局面,我只能从自己能够把握的部分入手——无论如何,我对本条线的工作执行方式仍有决定权。我决定自己修订条线内相关管理制度,将不利于我们管理的那一部分撇出去。

一开始,我想通过那些五花八门的账号特点入手。除了都带有我司名称,它们的另一个特点是粉丝量几乎都保持在个位数,即便发布内容,能够大范围传播的可能性也极低。我的提法相当保守:“粉丝数少于50,超一年未更新,视为无风险僵尸账号,不做专门监督。”

但这一点在小利主任环节就被否决了:不纳管对党建工作部来说就意味着工作有缺口,一定会遭到质疑。

我接受了主任的意见,决定回到问题的根本,让权力回到自己的边界:如果某账号经核实后不属于公司内部人员开设,则综合部无管理权限,不负管理责任。这个想法最终落到书面,形成如下表达:

第十七条 规范新媒体账号排查机制。综合部牵头组织开展新媒体账号的排查清理,排查范围主要为公司官方新媒体账号、公司员工开设的与本公司相关的新媒体账号。对于排查发现的非官方新媒体账号,如确系公司员工开设,按照属地原则,谁使用谁负责、谁主管谁负责,对相关账号进行整改。

第十八条 加强条线新媒体账号管理。市场经营部作为渠道运营的归口管理部门,要建立对渠道人员在新媒体账号开设方面的管理机制,做到末梢穿透,闭环管理。

主任通过了这一版本,我得以向玉珍姐汇报这项修改工作,莹莹姐也被叫到旁边。玉珍姐盯着我,真诚地问:“小赵,我就是特别纳闷,为啥整治这么长时间了,老有要带咱们公司字样的账号,老是(需)要干掉?”

我不是第一次面对这个问题了,每一次发现新增账号,玉珍姐都会愤愤地问,说了不让注册不让注册怎么还有人注册?!每逢此时,我的脑子里总是冒出考研知识点:新媒体的涌现性、节点化……走出考场时我没有想到有一天还要再用它解释问题。但学术化的解释毫无意义,通常,我会直接回答:现在想注册账号有个手机号码就行啊,咱这名字也没申请专利……

现在,我已经理解了领导想要的是更具体的答案,于是语气笃定地回答:“主要是渠道商。”莹莹姐加强我的回答的可信度:“确实,那人家开的就是公司的代销店,也没有毛病啊。”

“对,所以上个季度和市场部沟通了,他们已经把这个要求写到了渠道的考评里面。发现渠道商擅自用公司名义开设渠道,一次扣一分。”

扣分是我和市场部渠道管理同事沟通后的结果。协商管理手段时,我给出的是“严肃处理”的模糊说法,市场部同事具体成两点,一是做好渠道的相关培训,二是用扣分管理渠道。评分将决定每家厅店能拿到的渠道费用,相当于他们只要开设了账号,就会少拿到钱。

我当然知道这种强力的管制和基层业务发展的需求是相悖的,但我已经没有力气愧疚,这件事要怪也只能怪到党建工作部的这项工作本身。我只欣喜于终于找到一种真正有效的方式来防止无穷无尽的新增账号,让我带领的同事和这些脏活少一些纠缠。

玉珍姐说,“现在我们有关键一点要弄清,就是保证新增账号没有公司员工开设的,如果有,就要对他们点名通报。”

问题又回到了一开始,真正的困难是我不可能干涉、管理任意一个人如何使用自己的社交媒体账号,我懒得再委婉表达:“这个不能保证,领导。”

玉珍姐不满意:“那不行。”三个字极快地从嘴里跳出来。“为什么?渠道账号扔给市场,各地市账号也按属地原则处理,只有省公司的员工了,我们明确要求不许以职务身份注册账号,ta们明知故犯,岂不是我们管理失职?”

现在,我开始向领导解释,理论上来说,含我司名称的新媒体账号可能来自生活在这个地区、国家的任意一人。而“我们的权限只能到公司员工,不能到社会人员,如果一个账号不是我们公司员工注册的,那它就不是我们的责任,我们是不是可以不管?”

“我现在明白你的想法了,因为党建工作部把责任撇到了我们头上,所以你想用这句话把地市的责任撇清,对不对?”玉珍姐依然不关注常识,而是回到她更熟悉的责任分配,点出我的心思。

“对。”我知道自己的汇报成功了。果然,对方接着回答:“行呢,咱们就这么和领导汇报,到时候你和我一起去小赵。”

“啊?”我从没上过领导的专题会,一听之下反倒吃惊,顺势和玉珍姐开起玩笑说害怕。玉珍姐笑了:“不用害怕,你觉得该这样做,那咱们就去和他们汇报。现在公司领导对这个东西的观念还特别紧张,只要我们是对的,哪怕被骂出来也不要紧,一遍遍地和他们说,慢慢的总会改变的。”

我第一次对周玉珍肃然起敬。

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从制度的拟定到最终上会通过领导决策,又过了十余天。这中间,玉珍姐一度让我去掉“如确系本公司员工开设”这句话,我照做了,我猜想她觉得这句话甩锅意味太重,担心领导不满意。

但到递交上会资料的前一刻,我还是犹豫着又向她提出:“玉珍姐,那句话能不能不去掉?”我还是希望明确工作边界,让条线同事少做无用功。彼时办公室已经没有其他人,玉珍姐看着我,斟酌片刻后叹一口气,最终答应。她猜想领导也注意不到那句话。

我顿觉轻松,欢欢喜喜把那句话重新加回去。点击发送上会材料,然后关机,把充电器、眼镜等物件塞进背包,脚步轻快地离开了办公楼。我的内心充盈一种满足感:我已经凭良心认真对待了自己的权力,已经做了所有自己能做的事来为下级执行单位尽量创造了空间。

第二天上会,尽管我只是坐在最后一排听玉珍姐汇报,但还是板正地穿上了聚酯纤维面料的工装。然而几天后,玉珍姐与巡察办一名同事的争吵又让我陷入自我怀疑。

事情倒也不复杂。巡察办同事为把自己某项工作任务做的“好看”,要求我们科室制作相关台账。玉珍姐大怒,这件事最终以双方各退一步收场。事后,玉珍姐火气消退,也不知是自我安慰还是安慰相关同事,喃喃地说,小周(巡察办同事)也是个认真的人,这也是为了工作。

我原本是看热闹,却猝不及防被“为了工作”这句话击中,回想到自己出台的制度。

我也是一个认真的人,我也是被某些人、某种制度、某种权力推搡着,下了决心要把这件事解决掉。可是到底是一坨混沌的屎更好,还是一坨条分缕析的屎更好?我到底是真的为大家做了好事,还是已经在助纣为虐还不自知而沾沾自喜?这到底是我的留下的遗产,还是我留下的遗害?

又一个视频

十二月是一年的收官时刻,重要的工作是年终总结,而其中更重要的部分,则是要让领导有感知地总结。对于综合部来说,在全公司年终会上播放的总结视频,就是一年一度的露脸时刻。年底我的大部分时间都放在了宣传片上。

到十二月中旬,这片子已经反复修改了两个月,玉珍姐依旧能发现不满的地方。又一版视频出炉,我们在会议室内逐帧拉片,玉珍姐举着手机,扶着眼镜,脖子前倾,看得专注。而我早已丧失看这个视频的欲望,大多数时间我都在观察玉珍姐的表情。虽然观看过程中她一直皱着眉头,但假如她皱眉更深,往回缩一缩脖子,或者很快速、轻微地向一旁侧一下脸,都意味着她对正在看到的内容有所不满。此时我就要迅速回归视频内容,讲解这一段为何如此处理。

但我能够解说的只是我自己认知中的问题,还有一些问题,是远远超出我的想象的。比如此刻,玉珍姐突然敲击着屏幕按下暂停:这里!

我迅速排查雷点:画面呈现的是一名头戴安全帽的工作人员在机房,上镜人员穿着簇新的工装——露出了硕大的我司logo;表情专注、自然,体态舒展——规避了形象邋遢、精神气不足的问题。哪里出了问题?我不明就里,保持安静等她说话。

玉珍姐在工作中一向需求明确,从不让下属猜测她的意图,这次也一样,她几乎没让我等待:low死了!怎么这么多戴安全帽的人?!公司领导都说了,我们是一个科技型公司,不是走街串巷的卖货郎!把这放上这么多,人还以为我们公司都是些工人呢!

我震惊了一瞬,愤怒的情绪很快变得分明:为什么她能说出这样的话?没有这些low的人把公司业务抬起来,她一个月过万的薪水从哪里来?难道真的以为自己平时坐在办公室里敲敲键盘写下的狗屁材料在创造价值?

但我还是强忍愤怒解释:现在安全生产不是查的严吗?这些作业都要戴头盔的,工程师去现场也一样。

这也太多了!周玉珍的不满未减少分毫。我一心只想让她闭嘴,果断回复道:那去掉吧,不放了,我换镜头。

从会议室出来,周玉珍向左走回办公室,我则直直向右走向卫生间。尽管上班已经一年有余,我仍不敢太长时间离开工位去散心,只好在烦躁时一趟趟跑厕所。

拉开厕所门,随后直接松手,几秒钟后,“砰”的一声巨响在我身后传来,这是厕所门自己摔阖上的声音。我拉开厕所隔间门的手突然滞住了,想起自己从前总会扶住门把手无声地关上厕所门。是从什么时候起,我和其他同事一样,任由这扇门在我身后摔在一起?哪怕中午大厅里办公的同事都已午休也不在意?

两周后,年终会宣传片终于进行到了新分管领导审议环节。玉珍姐、严总、严总的直属领导王总,都来到会场。因为公司年会将近,有部门正在会场排练节目。玉珍姐清退众人,并叮嘱我关上会议室门防止“泄密”。

王总在中间的位置坐下,严总、玉珍姐分立他两侧,我挨着玉珍姐站。片子播放完,奇迹般的,王总几乎没有提出任何要求,只说黑底白字是他们那里死人用的颜色,换一个。玉珍姐笑着一口应下。随后,王总起身,我和玉珍姐交错间对视,几乎是本能地漾出一个松一口气的笑容,并悄悄一竖大拇指。这种表演我不知道是什么时候学会的,但总之我已经能熟练运用。可是这种表演最终有什么意思?我心底里有些嘲讽自己地想着。

两天后,年终工作会开始。我照例提前一小时就到会场测试视频和PPT。测试结束,我站在当场,看着会场直播屏幕里自己的背影——抱着双臂,直直站着,仰起头看那块大屏,别人穿深色皮鞋高跟鞋,我脚上穿着一双白色的耐克空军一号,在屏幕上亮的扎眼。一个想法清晰地浮上心头:“这是我最后一次在这个会场了。”

收获的季节

十二月的忙碌伴随着一些令人振奋的回馈,冬天比秋天更像是收获的季节。比如单位发放的劳保用品积分到了将要清零的时候。

2023年,我第一次拿到这个积分时还不明白什么是劳保用品,但已经能够无师自通把它直译成“员工福利”(查过之后才知道“劳保用品是指保护劳动者在生产过程中的人身安全与健康所必备的一种防御性装备”)。换算人民币,男职工每年劳保金2260元,女职工除了劳保用品积分外还多一项妇女卫生用品费,劳保金也比男职工多一千元。这项积分通过公司自主开发的平台发放,无法兑换现金,只能在平台内完成购买。平台通过接入京东为员工提供货源,商品类目从日用百货到衣服鞋帽。我对比过这些商品的价格,发现相比起京东,同一家店铺的同件商品,在劳保平台存在几十到几百不等的溢价。

在这种“不够市场”的交易场所中,溢价也是市场规律的一种表现。没有人因为会因为溢价放弃这个平台,怎么花积分最有性价比也是一门学问。拿到劳保积分的第一年,我将几千块都用于购买日用品。第二年,我意识到用不流通的货币置办“大件”才是最划算的,这也是办公室大多数人的策略:物业姐为自己和女儿一人选购一件波司登羽绒服,玉珍姐的外套、内搭和高跟鞋都齐齐换新,小利姐则和玉珍姐买了同款高跟鞋。我用三分之二的积分为自己和妈妈一人买了一件羽绒服,给自己买了双鞋子,用剩下的三分之一购置短缺的日用品。上班近两年,我再也没有用流通货币买过卫生巾、洗发水。整个十二月,公司楼下的快递柜一直爆满,快递员频频打电话要求科室同事下楼拿快递:“快递柜满了,你们公司前台不让放。”

更令人振奋的,则是按照财务做账的要求,年终奖必须在次年1月之前下发。一进十二月,大家都进入了一种等待年终奖的状态。每当我像个疯狂旋转的滚筒洗衣机一样被工作摆布时,也会想象自己的年终奖:不管是专题报道,还是二十五周年宣传视频,部门今年颇受领导褒扬的工作,我都极大参与并做出了看得见的成果,收入应该还可以吧。

十二月二十四号,临近下班,小利主任与我谈年终绩效评定时的说法,我的绩效等级评定为C,贡献度评为良好——据小利主任说这是“领导认可我的贡献”。

年终绩效奖金由岗级、绩效等级和贡献系数共同决定。而我对应的具体数值分别是:6、1、0.8。这三个数字到底如何使用后得出我的年终奖数额,我并不清楚,但我有非常朴素的认知:数字越大,奖金越多。我的岗级是6——公司最低岗级,这是短期不可更改的;绩效等级是1(等级为C)——每个科室能给到的A级(1.2)和B级(1.1)是有限的,作为入职一年的新人,绝不可能在涉及大额奖金分配时得到C以上等级;由此看来,贡献度系数是我唯一有望提升整体系数水平的机会。于是我问:“其他人的贡献度等级是什么呢?”

领导没有回答:“都有这么一个过程,也希望你客观看待,尽快成长。贡献系数上,领导还是给你评了一个良的。明年你要适应这种组织的方式,不光是工作质量,待人接物、给大家的感知,都很重要。也希望你在工作职责中提升自己的适应度。”

贡献系数则分三档,优秀为0.9,良好为0.8,一般则是0.75。领导如此认可我,我也不过多挣了0.05分,而我也未必是这0.05分的唯一获得者。小利主任让我有什么问题和意见都可以说,但我已然明白这是通知而非征询意见,心灰意冷之下,我只能阿Q地自我安慰:毕竟是三季度奖金加年终奖,应该不至于太惨。

十二月底的一个中午,我的幻想被彻底击碎了。这天,我匆匆加完班赶到食堂,一同吃饭的小伙伴问我奖金情况,我这才知道奖金已经发放。打开手机报出数目,三季度奖金加年终奖,总计3.8万。桌上五人都安静了片刻,半晌,市场部的同事率先打破了沉默:你们部门真不是人啊……你这一年忙成这样给你这点儿,你不如来市场部算了。

闻言,我已经知道自己的奖金在桌上六人中最低。我感到一种耻辱,这种耻辱在一季度被周玉珍戳着绩效条质问“难道你不想多要一点钱吗?”时也出现过。但我不能将这种痛苦和心碎表现出来,否则我将看起来更加可怜,也让我的朋友们为难。我只能装作懵懂地反问:啊?很低吗?你们呢你们呢?

追问之下,我才知道,我的奖金收入只有市场部同期入职同事的一半,就算在管理部门中,也比法务的同事少了近三分之一。而我后来得知,哪怕在部门内部,我的奖金和老员工也相差近两倍。

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从这天起,唯一支撑我的精神支柱也被抽走了,我勉强地做着自己的工作。一月十号,我手头的两项工作都快到了最后期限,我向玉珍姐提出诉求,是否可以暂时调整一下我手头的工作量,好让工作都能按时完成。

玉珍姐拒绝了:科室每个人的工作都很饱和。你给集团填的那个宣传年终总结,那个工作也用不了多少时间吧。综合部的工作我全都做过,那些都用不了多少时间,你顺手就把它做完了。

“综合部所有工作我都做过”,是她常常挂在嘴边的话——假设在她调离的六年间,所有工作要求都保持静态,这句话确实可能成立。而那项她认为“用不了多少时间”的工作,是集团公司在2023年对各省宣传工作提出的新考核项目——总计近三十细项,每一项都需列出全年明细并统计分数。

我知道她不可能响应我的诉求了。于是沉默坐下,拿起杯子灌一口水,上嘴唇和口腔内部迅速肿痛——我忘记了,这是一杯刚接的开水。疼痛像压垮骆驼的最后一根稻草一样击溃了我,我抽出一张纸巾压在双眼上,失声痛哭起来。好不容易稍微平复了情绪,不巧玉珍姐站起身想向我安排工作,见我这副模样,她喊上我和文件姐,让我们一起到小会议室开会。

玉珍姐边拉开椅子边说:“小赵你现在说一下你这两天有啥着急的事。”见我两手空空,玉珍姐从自己本子上撕下一张纸,又从会议桌笔筒里抽出一支笔:“来,给你纸,你写。”

我始料未及,第一反应是惊慌:这看起来岂不是像我在给同事甩活?但我已经骑虎难下。大脑一片混乱中,我拿过纸笔,边写,边计算自己每项工作的工作量及提交时间——七项主要工作,四项要在当周完成,而年会将近,我毫不意外被推出去表演节目,还要分出时间参与排练和演出。为了压抑情绪,说话间隙,我不断深深吸气。

“行,我知道了。我想着综合部这些工作我都干过,不会花很多时间。”玉珍姐迎接我的依然是这句话,“但既然你也提了,刚刚也确实列了,那就让别人配合你一下。配合你做完之后你再审核一下,然后再给我审核。总体上大家工作确实也都很忙,你自己有时候要是有委屈……”

“没有,我刚是不小心烫到自己了。”我感到羞耻,好像是自己的不成熟造成了这样的局面,只好快速打断她。

玉珍姐置若罔闻:“有时候也不能说坚强吧,就是自己克服一下。大家都很忙。按理说这次集团总经理来我们公司调研,跟拍我都该派你去,但我想了一下还是没有,一是你手头事多,二是这个工作确实麻烦,要给各地市统一模板,材料一整理就是二十来页。你们大家的工作我以前都干过,我特别知道哪项工作要用多少时间。现在的工作现状就是这样的,现在也不是以前。你有需要的时候也可以和相关人员直接说,我相信大家肯定也会帮助你。”

我试图把事情掰到起点,让自己不要显得过于弱势和被动:“我本来只是说因为这几项工作的时间咬得紧,看能否有所调整,办公室大家不用说也帮我很多,我实在没想到你能整这么一个动静,领导。”

玉珍姐笑着,并不接我的话茬:“你嘛,在我们看来就像小妹妹一样,大家都会考虑你的整体情况的。”

我别过头去不再看玉珍姐,只是重复地在纸面上描画一个方块。玉珍姐见状先打发走了文件姐,开始单独和我谈心谈话:“你现在还是觉得压力大?”

我的笔画更加急促,笔尖透过纸张和桌面互相作用,发出“噌噌”的声音。对方显然不需要我回应,她做出一副知心大姐姐的样子,坐到我身边来,继续诉说自己当年的不易、科室其他同事的辛劳,教我如何和同事进行协调,仿佛我才是这场闹剧的始作俑者。我不再回应,直到严总突然推开会议室的门,这场可笑的会议终于结束了。

我从昏暗的会议室出来,觉得办公室的灯光更加刺眼。文件姐和物业姐关系一直亲厚,她们会怎么对我?如我所想,文件姐虽面上无事发生,但物业姐个性直、脾气急,那段日子在走廊见到我也如同没看见。但我已然无心在意同事关系。

未完待续

文中人物为化名

极昼工作室|社保“新规”落地前,小工厂老板的选择

28 August 2025 at 18:04

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8月1日,《最高人民法院关于审理劳动争议案件适用法律问题的解释(二)》发布,针对竞业限制、混同用工、社会保险纠纷等问题统一法律适用标准。这一解释条例将于9月1日起实施。

消息发出后,迅速在各个社交平台成为热议话题。对于本就面临困境的小微企业老板来说,焦虑的情绪蔓延。有人打算降薪,试图提前规避风险。一家义乌箱包厂的老板反复衡量,最终决定关停他开了15年的工厂。

《人民日报》针对所谓“全民强制社保”话题发表评论文章,称对政策的误读、对公众的误导,有必要澄清辨明。

文丨殷盛琳

编辑丨王珊瑚

CDT 档案卡
标题:社保“新规”落地前,小工厂老板的选择
作者:小昼
发表日期:2025.8.28
来源:微信公众号“极昼工作室”
主题归类:强制社保
CDS收藏:人物馆
版权说明:该作品版权归原作者所有。中国数字时代仅对原作进行存档,以对抗中国的网络审查。详细版权说明

立秋以来,浙江的高温并没有减退的意思,天气仍然闷热、潮湿。义乌一家日用品厂的空调、电风扇却和缝纫机、干燥剂自动包装机一起停止了运作。

几天前,51岁的工厂老板陈平做了一个重大决定:清退工人,关停工厂。8月初的“社保新规”是促成他作出选择的“最后一根稻草”。他说,疫情以来这几年,厂子生意受到冲击,基本无法盈利,但总体还能持平。从去年下半年起,生意开始极速下行,到关停前算下来大概亏损60万元左右。

往年这个时候,工厂里的缝纫机从早到晚发出声响。花色繁复、种类各异的收纳箱日产量能达到15000个。他们承接全球客商订单,箱包经由工人之手生产、压平、包装,销往世界各地。现在一切都安静了下来。

原本陈平打算再“熬一熬”,但看到“新规”的消息,“感觉风险太大,没有熬的必要了。”

所谓新规,是指最高人民法院于8月1日发布的《关于审理劳动争议案件适用法律问题的解释(二)》。其中明确规定,用人单位与劳动者约定或者劳动者向用人单位承诺无需缴纳社保的,人民法院应认定该约定或承诺无效。用人单位未依法缴纳社保,劳动者请求解除劳动合同,要求用人单位支付经济补偿的,人民法院应予以支持。该规定将于9月1日起正式生效。

事实上,这并不是一项从无到有的新规定。本次的司法解释只是对一些争议问题进行明确,统一司法裁量标准。中国人民大学教授董克用在接受《经济观察报》采访时说,将《解释二》理解为要实施“全民社保”是片面的。政策多年前就已经对企业强制缴纳职工社保作出规定,但因近些年小微企业的经营比较困难,实际并没有严格执行、深究。

即使如此,关于社保的规定就像投石入湖,一种复杂的情绪在社交平台蔓延。对于陈平这样的小微企业、工厂老板来说,每个人都得在心里算下经济账。

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陈平打算关停工厂,把剩余的货物挪到小仓库。 讲述者供图

陈平这家义乌小工厂,之前的工人几乎都是“零工”,主要来自云贵川地区。“他们的流动性很强,可能这里做几个月就换,再到另外一个地方去做几个月。”陈平说,在此之前,大家维持一种用工默契:工厂包住宿,按件计费,不想做了可以随时结账走人,社保之类的不做缴纳。

这种做法也是当地小工厂的惯例。陈平说,像浙江的一些服装厂,三四百人很正常,能解决很多普通人的就业问题,但如果被工人集体举报或者强制补缴社保,对本就面临经营困难的小工厂而言是致命的打击。“像缝纫工、包装工,一般工资在6000左右,缴社保肯定要给他降薪,你让工厂老板承担,是一分钱不愿意承担的,因为现在微小工厂赚钱很难。”

他也不愿意承担被举报的风险。“现在员工也是说不要社保呀,宁愿工资到手多一点,可以写保证书,但是谁敢去赌人性呢?”陈平说,他的一个朋友就是前车之鉴。朋友是开影楼的,一位摄影师当时和朋友谈好的工资是1万块一个月,不缴社保。做了两年,摄影师辞职了,工资结算很清楚。但过了没多久,朋友收到了律师函,对方告他没给缴纳社保,没给加班费。

作为老板,能在大小工厂林立的义乌维持15年生意,陈平倚仗的能力之一是风险管理。他担心,“现在政策一出,这种(维权的)事情以后会越来越多。”

江苏一家无纺布工厂的老板李可选择了更谨慎的做法。他把生意“分”给了工人,尽量缩减亏损,静待复苏时机。

他的工厂主要和医院合作,生产无纺布相关耗材。比如给灭菌器械进行包裹的无纺布制品,确保无菌,供手术室使用。

李可说,在整个行业里,他们所做的产品相对有技术壁垒,一般电商没人做这些东西,所以相对幸运地避开了行业恶性内卷。但疫情后,医院也在控制成本,不断在找更低价的产品,导致他们的订单被迫减少了近三分之二。

目前,为了减少支出,他只留了3个工人。一位是江苏本地人,另外两名是安徽来打工的。他们之前签了传统的劳务合同,计时收费,工资构成是:计时费+饭补+加班费+1000元社保补贴。

了解社保规定的消息后,他找几位工人商量,大家都想维持现状。两个安徽工人是农村户口,在老家缴纳了城乡居民医保,江苏本地工人以灵活就业身份参保。“后续社保(企业)必须要缴的话,对于我来说,每个月最多增加1500元的成本,一年也就是接近2万,但作为员工来说,他们少拿了1000补贴,肯定不太愿意。”

李可说,这几个老工人都是跟着他在厂子里工作了十来年的,大家都了解厂子的经营情况。两个安徽工人都50多岁了,马上都要抱孙子,“就是想在江苏多赚几年钱,攒一攒给孩子们,年纪大了就回农村,拿农村社保养老就行了。”

现在,他以尽量低亏损的形式维系厂子运转。成本除了人工费,还有1000平厂区房租、水电,全部加起来一年50万左右。由于订单少,他跟员工之间达成了一致,“作为企业负责人,我外面想办法找订单、报价,基本上以材料成本加上人工成本和5%利润的形式报价,房租成本不计算到产品(价格)里去了”,相当于工人赚人工钱,“我只提供场所和订单,让他们自己养活自己。”之后他打算缩小厂房面积,租一个500平左右的厂房,这样算下来,一年的亏损金额可以维持在10万。

他给自己的底线是亏损30万。在那之前,无论如何,实体厂子都不能关停,李可说。工厂象征着一种稳定感:只要有设备、有场地,就可以随时接单,就有止亏为盈的机会。“工厂一旦关了就什么都没有了,万一后面有新客户或者经济形势好转,产品做不出来也麻烦。”

李可说,社保“新规”的消息出来后,“每个工商户都有自己的生存之道”,对于他这种和工人比较熟悉的厂子来说,只要不是强制执行,都有余地。但有些小微企业的老板,选择将风险前置,提前规避。他听说有同行重新和员工签署合同,也将工资做了拆分,其中一部分改为社保补贴。因为按照《解释二》第十九条的规定,虽然约定无需缴纳社保无效,但用人单位依法为员工补缴社会保险费后,可以要求劳动者返还已支付的社会保险费补贴。就算最后被工人起诉了,“社保补贴”这笔钱还可以要回来。

在县城景区开奶茶加盟店的一位老板说,知道社保“新规”的消息后,她仔细算了下7月的账单:

4位全职员工月工资:16500元

2名兼职员工月工资:6000元

水电费用:4000元

缴纳社保前盈余:32000元-用人成本-水电费=5500元

缴纳社保后盈余:2000左右

她说自己目前能想到的应对之策是不再请兼职,再削减一名正式员工,为剩下的3位员工足额缴纳社保,但需要降薪300~500元。为了避免后续扯皮,她打算“快刀斩乱麻”。

不止小微企业老板,低收入劳动者们也有自己的账本。一位在广西做宠物洗护的打工者担心,如果老板真的按“新规”执行,她的月工资2600元,足额缴纳社保自己大概要缴400元,每个月要给上大学的儿子一个月1500元的生活费,自己就只有700块生活了,捉襟见肘。

中国社科院世界社保研究中心秘书长房连泉在2024年调研发现,城镇就业人口有8%处于“应保未保”状态,集中于灵活就业群体,以农村户口为主。他曾向《财新》分析,5000元(月薪)是他们参与社保的“经济门槛值”。

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浙江义乌,工人将原材料加工成圣诞用品,准备发往欧美、东南亚等地区。 CFP

据不同的小微企业老板提到,大家对社保“新规”的顾虑,除了用人成本增加无法负担之外,还在于担忧相关部门是否会追缴社保并处罚金。

福建一家财务公司的会计小梅自8月以来接到了许多客户的咨询电话。大多是当地小企业、小工厂的老板,大家在网上刷短视频看到相关解读后,都很焦虑,问她该怎么办。一位工厂的中年老板在电话里哭泣,“一直说做不下去了,如果一旦按这个规定去实行的话,那就要注销了,不做了。”

她只能告诉对方,放平心态,该怎么做怎么做。“我只能把这个东西(规则)跟他讲明白,确实有这些规定,你们自己该怎么去协调,就是老板自己的事情了。”不过,按照经验,小梅说,这类政策在执行上会考量当地企业经营状况。

当地一些中小规模的鞋厂,几乎都是流动零工,没有为员工缴纳社保,大部分企业也是按照当地最低工资标准而不是规定的实际月薪作为社保缴纳基数。“按照我们这边当地的民情,没办法一板一眼地按照那个东西实行,(不然)企业做不下去。”

小梅公司的主要业务是为当地一些客户企业记账、报税,服务的公司覆盖多个行业,餐饮、制造业、贸易类,很清楚当地企业的经营现状。她说,十几年前,生意好做的时候,社保、医保这一块,当地税务局会根据公司规模强制要求缴纳员工社保。但最近这几年,也没有真的执行下来,因为疫情以来,当地倒闭了很多小企业、小工厂。她们公司的业务量也因此下滑,“很多都不(继续)做了,因为他(客户)公司要注销了。”

针对网络上对政策的一些误读和情绪,《人民日报》近日刊发了评论文章,解释了政策出台的背景,并重申社保的重要性:不能只算眼前的和投入产出的经济账,不算长远的和一失万无的风险账。文章提到,扩大社保覆盖范围,增强社保缴纳刚性约束,确实会给企业尤其是中小企业带来一定的成本压力,但这不是“规避社保”的理由。企业必须高度重视合规风险,跳出靠不缴社保降成本的灰色地带,在其他方面锻长板、练绝活,才能向产业链价值链中高端迈进。同时,也必须正视中小企业的现实经营压力,实打实帮企业解决问题、克服困难。

8月13日,义乌这家曾经辉煌的箱包厂正式清场了。老板陈平拍了照片留念,心绪复杂。之前热闹的车间变得空空荡荡,70多台缝纫机设备已经全部卖给了二手回收,买来时4000块左右的机器,到了清仓时被狠狠“宰”了一刀,最后一台机器被压到200块钱。现在设备都不好转卖,收二手设备的人说。

去年他给车间装了新的冷风机管道,花了3万多块,现在只能扔掉了,“没人要”。

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厂房顶上的冷风机是新装没多久的,陈平暂未找到回收二手商。讲述者供图

2010年,陈平36岁,考察了一番后,决定将工厂开在具有完整产业链,且营商环境和支持力度都很可观的义乌。从一开始只招了4个工人,到发展到100号人,只用了两年时间。“那个时代外贸生意好得很,国内各大批发市场也生意火爆”,他记得,那会儿工厂开发出好多新产品,卖给一批批发商,一批再卖给二批,再卖给各地经销商,大家都有钱赚。

但自从一些电商平台发展起来,中间商没有了,都走电商。行业陷入内卷,“只想着怎么把价格做得更低,怎么偷工减料。”这样的恶性循环导致的结果是没有赢家,陈平说,无论是工厂、电商都没多少利润,客户买到的很多也是垃圾货。当然,外部环境也不好,“即使有些国家进货量巨大,但是价格也压得很低。”

他想念那个线下市场还茂盛生长的年代。长沙高桥大市场、上海光彩大市场,到处都是顾客和生意人,人身处其中,很自然会相信生意以后越做越红火。

但近些年行业内卷,低价博弈,外部环境也频频冲击,关税、国际关系都在影响订单量。今年5月,由于印巴冲突,陈平厂里一批原本该运往印度的箱包无法出货,外贸公司只说让他们等消息,最后陈平只能低价转卖。社保的消息,让他有机会平静下来,仔细衡量得失,最终选择了关停工厂。

目前,他和剩下的几位工人打算将剩下的产品搬到租的小仓库去,等这批货慢慢清掉,这家做了15年的工厂就算彻底告别了。

陈平说,自己虽然有点感慨,但并不遗憾。十几年来,他勤奋努力,也赚到了一些钱,在义乌和老家各买了房子,安顿下来。现在关停后,整个人倒是轻松多了。

至于未来的计划,他还没有太清晰。陈平目前的想法是,做个一人公司。“找两个年龄50多岁已经退休的人员做工”,这样即使“新规”落地执行,也可以避开缴纳社保的成本。

(为保护讲述者隐私,文中人物为化名。)

萧旭岑:马英九不会参选国民党主席

28 August 2025 at 18:06

国民党主席改选陷入僵局,马英九基金会执行长萧旭岑说,马英九不会参选。

据中时新闻网报道,萧旭岑星期四(8月28日)说,确实有人劝进马英九,但马英九绝对不可能参选,“若让马回来,那不就还是老人吗?”

萧旭岑说,马英九认为,党内应该由下一个梯队来带领国民党重返执政。

萧旭岑说,国民党中常会已将领表登记时间延后,相信台面下会有合纵连横的空间,应该不会只有目前台面上的七位参选人,他预判最后会峰回路转,“现在就让子弹再飞一会儿”。

目前表态有意角逐国民党党魁的,包括立委罗智强、孙文学校总校长张亚中、前彰化县长卓伯源、前立委郑丽文、前副秘书长张雅屏、中委孙健萍、彰化县议长谢典林等。

中国空军航空开放活动首次静态展示歼-20

28 August 2025 at 17:36

下个月举行的中国空军航空开放活动,将首次静态展示歼-20战机。

据“国防部发布”微信公众号,中国国防部新闻发言人张晓刚大校星期四(8月28日)在记者会上介绍空军航空开放活动特点时说,这项活动将集中展出百余型空军现役飞机、地面装备以及退役经典装备,首次静态展示歼-20,首次安排轰炸机编队通场,“八一”“红鹰”“天之翼”表演队将献上精彩表演。

这项活动也将增强装备开放体验,设置模拟飞行、无人机操控、跳伞等沉浸式体验区,同步组织军营开放活动,让公众更直观深入了解中国空军。

张晓刚也说,这项活动将打造空军主题展馆,以及招飞、空管、地面院校招生等展区,设立航空文化沙龙,组织无人机年会、空军军乐队巡演等系列活动,空军优秀飞行员代表也将与社会各界互动交流。

央视新闻早前报道,中国空军9月19日至23日将在吉林长春举办空军航空开放活动,届时长春市将同场举办长春航空展。

中国外交部:日本掩盖史实推卸责任无法“洗白”自己

28 August 2025 at 17:31

日本据报在过去10年投入560亿日元(下同,4.9亿新元)宣传“正确形象”,中国外交部对此回应说,掩盖史实和推卸责任无法“洗白”自己,只会引起全世界爱好和平人民的高度警惕和严厉谴责。

据中新社报道,国防部新闻发言人张晓刚星期四(8月28日)在例行记者会上作出上述回应。有媒体提问称,中国央视旗下新媒体“玉渊谭天”调查发现,自中国2015年首次举行抗战胜利日阅兵以来,日本用于宣传所谓“正确形象”的预算超过560亿日元。

对此张晓刚强调,掩盖史实和推卸责任无法“洗白”自己。日本应该以诚实态度正视和反省侵略历史,同军国主义彻底切割,切实尊重中国等受害国人民的感情,这样才能真正取信于亚洲邻国和国际社会。

另据国防部微信公众号消息,张晓刚再次要求日本加快处置日遗化武进程。

针对近期公布的日军第七三一部队细菌战的数千页档案和影像、日军入侵广东的罪行照片集,以及在河北发现的侵华日军的日记和相册等史料,张晓刚说,侵华日军七三一部队公然违反国际法,对中国人民发动了令人发指的细菌战,犯下了反人类滔天罪行,这段历史铁证如山、不容否认。

“今年是中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争胜利80周年。魔鬼被消灭了,但遗毒还未根除。我们要求日方深刻反省历史罪责,加快处置日遗化武进程,早日还中国人民净土”。

中国外交部发言人郭嘉昆7月30日在记者会上说,截至当时,日本已挖掘回收遗弃在华化学武器16万余枚,销毁约13万枚,但处理进程总体仍严重滞后,因此敦促日方全方位、全链条加快日遗化武处理进程。

迷你版Labubu发售前 隐藏款二手单价已翻倍破千人民币

28 August 2025 at 17:30

中国潮流玩具制造商泡泡玛特(Pop Mart)将于星期四(8月28日)晚上推出“迷你版Labubu”。此系列产品在二手平台上的预购价已炒得火热,其中隐藏款的单件售价甚至高达1188元人民币(下同,213新元)。

据第一财经报道,“The Monsters 心底密码系列”迷你版Labubu将于星期四晚上10时线上开售,星期五(29日)线下开售。此系列分为A和B两组,各组含14个常规款及一个隐藏款。

迷你版Labubu高约10.5厘米,售价为79元一件,单组价则为1106元。

报道指,在二手平台,一组迷你版Labubu最高已冲到2450元,超出原价1106元的两倍。另外,一件原价79元的隐藏款在二手平台上的最低售价已达到679.5元,甚至有两名买家分别以1188元和1100元成交。据悉,隐藏款在此系列中的概率低至168分之一。

一名“闲鱼卖家”称,买家若现在下单,商家会在迷你版Labubu发售后的三天内安排发货,但买家须先交735元订金,“保证有货,没有就赔”。

报道也引述天猫泡泡玛特旗舰店页面的信息显示,已有超过42万人将迷你版Labubu加购,泡泡玛特小程序等官方渠道则暂未显示预约数。

泡泡玛特上星期二(8月19日)公布中期业绩,今年上半年营收138.8亿元,同比增长204.4%,净利润则同比暴增近四倍。

中国多家银行警告不得用信用卡资金炒股

28 August 2025 at 17:11

随着散户投资者涌入持续火热的中国股市,中国多家商业银行正收紧对客户使用信用卡资金进行股票投资的监管。

据彭博社报道,包括中国民生银行、华夏银行在内的多家银行在过去一个月发布声明称,信用卡资金及现金透支不得用于投资,否则相关交易将被取消,信用卡使用也可能受限。

这一举措重申了2022年有关严格管控信用卡资金实际用途的规定,同时与近期多家券商和基金公司收紧融资、限制买入股票的措施相呼应。本月,中国股市市值已增加逾1万亿美元(1.28万亿新元),但融资和成交量等信号均引发市场对行情可持续性的担忧。

目前尚不清楚上述举措是否源于监管部门的指示。中国监管机构历来会在股市出现过热或过冷迹象时出手干预,以维持市场稳定。

《证券日报》星期四(8月28日)发表评论文章称,用信用卡资金炒股,借贷资金成本高、期限短,显著放大持卡人债务风险。

文章指出,信用卡的还款周期不过月余,股市投资难有确定周期。这种“短债长投”的期限错位,会造成投资节奏受制于债务期限的困局。

文章还说,这类借助透支信用卡实现的“无本套利”行为,普遍带有短期投机属性,会加剧股市的非理性波动,可能导致持卡人投资亏损无力偿还信用卡欠款。相关违规行为扰乱股市正常秩序,使股市风险转嫁至银行体系,最终对金融市场稳定运作造成负面影响。

中国股市本周延续牛市行情,星期一(8月25日)沪深两市成交额达3.1万亿元人民币(下同,约5574亿新元),为A股历史上第二次突破3万亿元,仅次于去年10月8日。星期二(8月26日)成交量收缩,但仍在2万亿以上,显示市场交投积极。

京东连续四年位列中国民营企业500强榜首

28 August 2025 at 17:10

中华全国工商业联合会发布最新中国民营企业500强榜单,电商巨头京东连续四年居首。

综合中新社和新华社报道,全国工商联星期四(8月28日)发布2025中国民营企业500强榜单和《2025中国民营企业500强调研分析报告》,京东集团以1万1500亿元(人民币,下同,2065亿新元)营收规模连续四年位列榜首。

阿里巴巴和恒力集团分别排在第二和第三。全国工商联官网发布的2025中国民营企业500强榜单资料显示,两家公司的营收总额分别为9817亿和8715亿元。华为投资控股和比亚迪则分别以8620亿和7771亿元排在第四和第五位。

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How Trump Could Gain Control of the Fed

President Trump’s attempt to fire Lisa Cook has laid bare the erosion of the Federal Reserve’s independence, which could lead to economic consequences for Americans, The New York Times’s chief economics correspondent explains.

© The New York Times

Relics From an Ancient Egyptian ‘Party Town’ Are Pulled Out of the Sea

28 August 2025 at 18:18
Remnants of a 2,000-year-old sunken city, Canopus, were lifted from waters off Alexandria, Egypt, revealing the city might have been larger than thought.

© Khaled Desouki/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

A sea-worn portion of an ancient statue being pulled from the water off Alexandria, Egypt, last week.

Rwanda accepts seven people from US as part of deportation deal

28 August 2025 at 17:08
Donald Trump at a desk with JD Vance behind him and Rwanda's foreign minister on the left in Oval office room

Seven people have arrived in Rwanda as part of a deal to accept deportees from the US, the Rwandan government has said.

“The first group of seven vetted migrants arrived in Rwanda in mid-August … Three of the individuals have expressed a desire to return to their home countries, while four wish to stay and build lives in Rwanda,” Yolande Makolo, a government spokesperson, said on Thursday.

Officials offered no information on the nationalities of the seven deportees. Rwanda said on 5 August it would accept up to 250 people from the US, stating that it would have “the ability to approve each individual proposed for resettlement”.

The first arrivals would be “accommodated by an international organisation with visits by the International Organisation on Migration and Rwandan social services,” Makolo said.

Donald Trump’s administration has been pushing a deportation drive, negotiating controversial arrangements to send people to third countries, including South Sudan and Eswatini, formerly Swaziland.

Rwanda signed a lucrative deal in 2022 to accept migrants from Britain, only for the agreement to be scrapped when Labour came to power last year.

Kigali agreed to the scheme with Washington because “nearly every Rwandan family has experienced the hardships of displacement”, Makolo said earlier this month. Those who arrive in Rwanda will be provided with training, healthcare and accommodation, she added.

The Trump administration has defended third-country deportations as necessary as home nations sometimes refuse to accept the deportees.

Rights experts have warned that the deportations risk breaking international law by sending people to countries where they face the risk of torture, abduction and other abuses.

Rwanda has a population of 14 million people and claims to be one of the most stable countries in Africa and has drawn praise for its modern infrastructure. However, the agreement with Britain drew criticism from rights groups and faced a long-running legal challenge.

President Paul Kagame’s government has been accused of human rights violations and of crushing political dissent and press freedoms.

C.D.C. Loses Top Officials, and Why Israeli Reservists Aren’t Showing Up for Duty

Plus, robots for rent.

© Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times

The back and forth over the future of Susan Monarez, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director, and the resignations of four top C.D.C. leaders, add to turmoil at the agency.

Survivors of Minneapolis Catholic School Shooting Face Long Road Ahead

28 August 2025 at 17:04
Children who survive school shootings deal with a host of complex feelings, ranging from anxiety and grief to guilt and shame.

© Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune, via Associated Press

A parent embraced her child after a shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, where students were attending Mass to start the school year.

Trump’s Fed Feud Spotlights Mortgage Data Privacy: Is Your Information Public?

After President Trump accused a Federal Reserve governor of mortgage fraud, everyday citizens are waking up to just how much information is out there.

© Mark Schiefelbein for The New York Times

The housing records of Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve governor, and Ken Paxton, the attorney general of Texas, have recently been scrutinized.

Russian Drones Are Flying Over U.S. Weapons Routes in Germany, Officials Say

U.S. and European military officials are increasingly concerned about the flights, even as Russian acts of sabotage have declined.

© Natalie Keyssar for The New York Times

American-made artillery shells prepared in a factory in Scranton, Pa., before being sent to Ukraine.

U.S. Government Cracks Down on Organ Transplant System

28 August 2025 at 17:03
Organ donation groups accused of safety lapses are facing multiple investigations, and new policies are underway to protect patients.

© Bryan Denton for The New York Times

A medical worker in Michigan transporting a newly recovered liver.

A Push for More Organ Transplants Is Putting Donors at Risk

People across the United States have endured rushed or premature attempts to remove their organs. Some were gasping, crying or showing other signs of life.

© Wes Frazer for The New York Times

Misty Hawkins’s parents have not touched the bedroom of their daughter, who had a lifelong cognitive disability.

Israel’s Exhausted Soldiers Complicate Plans for Gaza Assault

28 August 2025 at 17:18
Worn down by hundreds of days of military service, fewer Israeli reservists are turning up for duty. Others are refusing to fight in a war they no longer believe in.

© Avishag Shaar-Yashuv for The New York Times

Israeli military reservists and veterans, demanding an immediate end to the war in Gaza and the return of hostages, demonstrated in Tel Aviv earlier this month.

Nothing Could Topple the ‘Queen of Heels.’ Then Trump Came Along.

28 August 2025 at 17:04
The president’s steep tariffs and erratic moves have turned manufacturing abroad into a minefield, even for entrepreneurs who set up in countries viewed as safe alternatives to China.

© DeSean McClinton-Holland for The New York Times

Shoes designed by Ruthie Davis retail for $500 to $1,000, but she said costs, including shipping, marketing and tariffs, made it hard for her to turn a profit.

At the U.S. Open, Players’ Dogs Have the Run of the Place

28 August 2025 at 17:04
At the U.S. Open, players’ dogs are a key part of the entourage, and they have the run of the place.

© Vincent Alban/The New York Times

The tennis player Danielle Coleman brought her labradoodle, Quincy, with her to the U.S. Open.

Medicare Will Require Prior Approval for Certain Procedures

A pilot program in six states will use a tactic employed by private insurers that has been heavily criticized for delaying and denying medical care.

© Nick Oxford for The New York Times

Frances L. Ayres worried that a new program under traditional Medicare will involve the types of pre-approval hassles for medical care that she had tried to avoid.

Here’s What the Judicial Crisis Gripping New Jersey Looks Like

Trials and hearings have been delayed since a federal judge ruled that Alina Habba was serving unlawfully as U.S. attorney. The uncertainty may last for months.

© Kenny Holston/The New York Times

A federal judge has thrown into doubt the legitimacy of New Jersey’s U.S. attorney, Alina Habba, a former lawyer for President Trump.

Small parcels shipped from China to UK double in value to £3bn as Shein sales soar

28 August 2025 at 14:06
Getty Images A delivery man in a green t-shirt hands a brown cardboard box to a woman with brown hair, wearing a stripy  top. The delivery man is holding a phone up for the woman to sign for the package.Getty Images

The value of small parcels shipped from China to the UK under an import tax exemption more than doubled last year to £3bn, exclusive data obtained by the BBC shows.

Chinese e-commerce giants such as Shein and Temu are thought to be drivers of this increase as sales of cheap goods to online shoppers in the UK continue to rise.

The UK government is reviewing the rules that mean imports of small packages worth £135 or less currently avoid customs duties.

But UK business owners and industry groups say they want swifter action to protect High Street retailers from being undercut, and consumers from potentially faulty goods.

Low-value imports sent from China to the UK totalled around £3bn in 2024-25, according to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) figures obtained by the BBC via a Freedom of Information request.

That was well over twice the £1.3bn recorded during the previous financial year.

The value of these deliveries from China made up 51% of all the small parcels shipped to the UK from around the world last year. That is up from 35% in 2023-24.

Katerina Buchy, director of Sheffield-based giftware wholesaler Ancient Wisdom, said low-value imports were hitting her company's business because it couldn't compete with the prices on sites like Shein and Temu.

"It's affecting our customers as well. They're not ordering from us because they know their customers can get it cheaper online," said Ms Buchy, who has worked at the firm since 2004.

"I think the government should not allow these companies to export such high quantities of products under these rules because it's just ridiculous.

"I'd like to know how much they are losing in taxes. We pay taxes. We employ more than 100 people."

Katerina Buchy Katerina Buchy, a woman with long dark hair, wearing a dark grey top and a necklace, looks at the camera. The words "Ancient Wisdom" are written on the wall behind her in block capitals, and below that there is a shelf with cosmetic products on it.  Katerina Buchy
Katerina Buchy said low-value imports were hitting her business and clients

Temu and Shein have become popular among UK consumers in recent years for selling affordable items including clothes, homeware, electronics and toys.

Founded in China but now headquartered in Singapore, Shein recorded soaring profits last year.

It has tried to get itself on the New York and London stock exchanges, but has yet to secure a listing on either.

Both companies were questioned by MPs earlier this year over labour standards linked to the making of products sold on their platforms.

Natalie Berg, retail analyst at NBK Retail, said it was no surprise that the increase in the value of small parcels from China had coincided with the expansion of companies like Shein and Temu.

"They've gone from niche newcomers to retail powerhouses in a very short period of time," she said.

But she warned that the removal of the tax exemption could disproportionately hit lower-income consumers, and small firms who use it to import goods.

She added: "This is a loophole that needs to be plugged, but the government must ensure that any changes don't ultimately harm consumers or small businesses."

'Significant and growing threat'

The Treasury announced a review of low-value imports in April following lobbying from major retailers including Next and Sainsbury's, which argued the exemption enabled overseas companies to undercut them.

But the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has called on ministers to take action now.

Andrew Opie, the BRC's director of food and sustainability, said low-value imports posed "a significant and growing threat" to investment in UK High Streets as retailers faced unfair competition.

He added that they also exposed consumers to "unregulated, potentially unsafe products" because they did not go through the same customs check process as other goods.

A spokesperson for Temu said the company aimed to have at least half of the sellers using its UK platform based in the country by the end of the year.

"This approach helps consumers access affordable products while giving UK businesses a low-cost channel to reach new customers and grow," the spokesperson said.

A spokesperson for Shein said the firm's "on-demand" business model allowed it to make savings that it could pass on to its customers.

They added: "Vendors are required to comply with Shein's code of conduct and stringent safety standards."

Treasury review ongoing

The US recently ended its so-called "de minimis" exemption on imports of low-cost goods from China and Hong Kong, which had allowed those valued at $800 (£596) or less to enter the country without paying any tariffs.

It is due to drop the exemption for other countries on 29 August.

The European Union also recently announced plans to charge a €2 flat fee on small packages worth €150 (£129) or less entering the bloc.

While the value of small parcels arriving in the UK from China has soared, when it comes to the actual number of items entering the country, the picture is less clear.

HMRC said it only records the number of customs declarations used for goods worth £135 or less, and multiple items can be included under one declaration.

It recorded around 281,000 customs declarations for low-value imports dispatched from China in 2024-25 – about 12% of the total.

A Treasury spokesperson said Chancellor Rachel Reeves' review of the customs treatment of low-value imports was ongoing and would be published "in due course".

They added: "We are a pro-business government that is backing Britain's High Streets by protecting and extending business rates relief that would have ended without our action, permanently lowering rates for retailers from next year, and capping corporation tax at the lowest level in the G7 to encourage investment and growth."

Additional reporting by Kris Bramwell.

US tells Denmark to 'calm down' over alleged Greenland influence operation

28 August 2025 at 09:44
Getty Images A naval ship is moored in Nuuk against a backdrop of mountainsGetty Images
A German navy ship pictured docking in Greenland - an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen has summoned the top US diplomat in Copenhagen, following a report that American citizens have been conducting "covert influence operations" in Greenland.

Denmark's public broadcaster DR quoted sources as saying the aim was to infiltrate Greenland's society and promote its secession from Denmark to the US, although it was unable to clarify whether the men were working on their own.

Rasmussen said in a statement that "any attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of the Kingdom [of Denmark] will of course be unacceptable", and the US charge d'affaires had been summoned in that light.

The BBC has approached the US embassy for comment.

However, US President Trump has said several times he wants to annex Greenland, an autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and Vice-President JD Vance has accused Copenhagen of underinvesting in the territory.

On a visit to Greenland a few months ago, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned the US that "you cannot annex another country".

The US currently has no ambassador in Copenhagen, so Rasmussen has summoned Mark Stroh, who as charge d'affaires is the most senior diplomat in the Danish capital.

Denmark's foreign minister said in a statement to the BBC that the government was "aware that foreign actors continue to show an interest in Greenland and its position in the Kingdom of Denmark".

"It is therefore not surprising if we experience outside attempts to influence the future of the Kingdom in the time ahead," he added.

Denmark is a member of Nato and the European Union and has long seen the US as one of its closest allies, and Danes have been shocked by Trump's determination to control its semi-autonomous territory. The US president said this year he would not rule out seizing it by force.

Lars Lokke Rasmussen has already summoned the US ambassador to Denmark this year in response to a separate report in May suggesting US spy agencies had been told to focus their efforts on Greenland.

DR's report on Wednesday gave details of a visit by one American to Greenland's capital Nuuk, saying he was seeking to compile a list of Greenlanders who backed US attempts to take over the island. The aim would be to try to recruit them for a secession movement, DR said.

The earlier May report in the Wall Street Journal also referred to learning more about Greenland's independence movement, as well as attitudes to American mineral extraction.

At the time, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard did not deny the report but accused the Journal of "breaking the law and undermining our nation's security and democracy".

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