Jiangxi family loses welfare after daughter's HK concert trip
A Jiangxi family lost its state subsistence allowance after their teenage daughter spent up to 5,000 yuan on a Hong Kong concert trip. Local authorities confirmed the cancellation following an eligibility review, sparking online debate about welfare expenditure rules.
A low-income family in Jiangxi province has been stripped of its state subsistence allowance after their teenage daughter spent up to 5,000 yuan travelling to Hong Kong to attend a pop concert.
Local authorities in the Ganzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone confirmed on Tuesday that the family's "dibao" – a minimum living guarantee – has been officially cancelled following an eligibility review.
The incident sparked widespread mainland internet debate in early September when the girl's cousin posted about the situation on Xiaohongshu. According to the post, the vocational school student funded the 3,000 to 5,000 yuan (about HK$3,250 to HK$5,400) trip using summer job earnings and saved state subsidies.
Despite explicit warnings from local poverty alleviation workers that leaving the mainland for a luxury trip would forfeit their welfare eligibility, the teenager proceeded with her plans. Upon her return, the civil affairs department used her immigration exit records to launch a review, ultimately revoking the family's benefits.
The penalty has reportedly devastated the household. "The sky has completely fallen for them. My grandmother came to our house crying her eyes out," the cousin wrote in the viral post.
The local social affairs bureau previously explained that the girl's border crossing triggered a "dynamic monitoring alert" for welfare recipients. Officials said community cadres had repeatedly reminded the family of the strict expenditure policies tied to the poverty relief program before the cancellation was finalised.