Seven Ministries Expand Health Insurance for Gig Workers, Remove Hukou Limits
China's seven ministries issued a policy to expand basic health insurance coverage for flexible workers, urging megacities to remove hukou restrictions. Contribution bases may be set locally, with payment periods accumulated monthly and converted to years. Personal accounts can be shared across provinces for close relatives. Meanwhile, Huawei and Xiaomi launched foldable phones on the same day, with prices rising amid higher component costs.
Seven government ministries have issued a policy to expand basic health insurance coverage among flexible workers and other groups, urging megacities to remove hukou restrictions that have barred such workers from enrolling. Local authorities may set reasonable contribution bases, and payment periods can be accumulated on a monthly basis, with every 12 months counting as one year of coverage. The policy also promotes cross-provincial sharing of personal accounts, allowing funds to be used by close relatives.
Competition in the smartphone market intensified in September as Huawei and Xiaomi launched foldable phones on the same day. Huawei's top model is priced at RMB 24,999, while Xiaomi's starts at RMB 10,999. Beyond the high price points of new devices, several manufacturers have also raised prices on existing models. As costs for storage and other components rise, smartphone makers continue to pass on higher costs to consumers, while shifting their business strategies toward the high-end segment.