Commentary: How a Pension Experiment Could Reshape China’s Gig Economy

A recent move by Chinese delivery giant Meituan to roll out a pension subsidy program for its riders nationwide has put the social welfare of China’s new workforce back in the spotlight. While the company also announced progress on injury insurance and offline support networks, the program’s deeper value lies in the clear signal it sends to a vast and increasingly fragmented workforce: you can be accepted into the formal system. This message may be more important than the subsidy itself.