Tech Firms Describe Sackings as "Graduation"

JD.com and Bilibili have turned sackings into "graduations"

Chinese tech stocks have taken a beating recently, which has led to numerous layoffs in companies like JD.com, Bilibili, and ByteDance. However, these firms are using euphemisms to describe employees being given the pink slip.

"Sorry, you are terminated" is now replaced with "congratulations, you graduated" in dismissal notices issued by some Chinese technology companies, sparking controversy.

The translation of one dismissal letter

Large firms usually describe massive layoffs as business "optimisation", JD.com and Bilibili are using the term "graduation" which led to many fired employees to angrily post their dismissal notices on social media.

The employers don't describe the large-scale job cuts as layoffs because that often invites the intervention of labour authorities, and is seen as a sign of market weakness.

The JD.com termination letter offered "congratulations on your successful graduation" from the company, and gave details on how to handle social security issues, employment records and other administrative matters, while Bilibili's dismissal letter has the title "graduation day" and provided instructions on human resources issues.

The authenticity of the letters was confirmed by the companies' current and former employees, and it was also pointed out that they would also get this letter if they resigned voluntarily.

Referring to work colleagues "schoolmates" is part of the culture at many Chinese tech firms, including TikTok owner ByteDance.

Tech firms like TikTok call staff "schoolmates"

The layoffs at JD.com were mainly at its group-buying business Jingxi, which is expected to sack 10 to 15 percent of its staff, or about 400 to 600 people.

Another JD.com business unit that handles books, pet products and cross-border e-commerce also plans to cut 15 to 20 percent of its staff.

Bilibili started laying off staff last year, mostly in its gaming department, where nearly 20 percent of its staff were sacked.

Some social media users were angry at the use of the term "graduation". One Weibo user said sarcastically that JD.com was "too merciful" because it paid employees but "did not ask them for tuition fees".

Another asked why an employee who got sacked should be congratulated.

A third Weibo user said everyone who left JD.com was called a "graduate" whether they were fired or resigned. 

Staff "graduate" if they resign voluntarily too

"Doesn't the work experience one received before the layoff count as personal growth?" she asked.

Meanwhile Hong Kong's Covid-19 count continues to drop, though incrementally.

Today 6,639 cases were reported, 119 deaths, of which 102 were in the past 24 hours, and 17 backlogged.

More Arrests Stir More Defiance Than Fear

Leung, Wu, Chu and Chan and four other arrested this morning

The authorities haven't just implemented the national security law to deter residents from secession, sedition, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces, but it is also enforcing the new law that was implemented on July 1.

This morning eight opposition activists were charged with illegal assembly on July 1, the first large protest after the law was enacted.

Hundreds came out for illegal July 1 rally

Former legislators Eddie Chu Hoi-dick, Wu Chi-wai, "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung, and five others were arrested early this morning at their homes, including Figo Chan Ho-wun, convenor of the Civil Human Rights Front, on suspicion of violating the Public Order Ordinance.

A few hours later they were released on bail, and the activists vowed to remain defiant despite the crackdown, accusing police of retaliating against them for sanctions levelled by the United States against 14 top officials in China's legislature the night before.

July 1 is usually the annual mass march to mark the anniversary of the handover, but because of the new national security law, the police had refused permission to hold the rally. Nevertheless large crowds still gathered in Wan Chai and Causeway Bay, and police fired tear gas and pepper balls to disperse the crowds. Now these eight are being held responsible for the illegal rally.

Graduation ceremonies at Chinese University

The arrests this morning come a day after the police national security unit arrested three students over a politically-charged demonstration at Chinese University last month. During graduation ceremonies, some students chanted separatist slogans and carried black balloons, much to the horror of Beijing's liaison office. 

The office said the protesters had pushed for the city's independence, which contravened the national security law. 

As if that wasn't enough drama for today, two people connected to a church that helped mediate between the protesters and the police during last year's protests were arrested on suspicion of fraud and money laundering.

A former director and an employee of The Good Neighbourhood North District Church were taken into police custody, while the current director and secretary of the church, both of whom left Hong Kong in October, are also wanted by the authorities. 

The church had allegedly raised HK$27 million

Detectives allege that the church raised HK$27 million through several crowd-funding drives between June last year and September this year, but publicly stated they only raised one-third of the amount.

The police said the church's five accounts which total HK$25 million have been frozen as part of the investigation. Some of those accounts belong to Pastor Roy Chan Hoi-ting and his wife, who are currently on sabbatical in Britain, and now they have no access to the money for them and their five children.

"This is no doubt an act of political retaliation," the church said in a statement, condemning HSBC. "The purge has never ceased, just like the asset-freezing case of the self-exiled [former] Democrat, Ted Hui and his family. Such [an] incident has severely eradicated dissent in Hong Kong, suppressing freedom among religions and community service workers." 

Pastor Roy Chan volunteered during protests

The issue of freezing people's bank accounts without prior notice has worried many in Hong Kong to transfer more money abroad than before, though Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said today, "Hong Kong's monetary and financial systems are as robust as ever".

Sure thing, Carrie.

Disrespecting Anthem Means No Graduation

The Hong Kong College of Technology has a political slant on its education

It is disappointing to see a Hong Kong school has punished its graduates for not standing up during the national anthem by forcing them to leave their own graduation ceremony and not receive their certificates.

Two social work students from Hong Kong College of Technology sat silently while March of the Volunteers was played during the ceremony at a Ma On Shan campus, defying a new school rule which defines disrespecting the national anthem as misconduct.

The staff cut short the anthem not long after it began when they saw not everyone was standing. The two graduates were told to leave along with more than 10 other students who were supported the pair.

Chan told the students the school loves the country and HK

The incident lasted 20 minutes and the two graduates didn't receive their certificates.

Afterwards president and principal of Hong Kong College of Technology, Chan Cheuk-hay, spoke to the pair after the ceremony.

One student said to him: "That we sat down [during the anthem] did not mean we don't respect the national anthem. And if we sang the song, it would not mean we loved the country.

"We don't understand why the school rejected the social work students it trained up during the graduation ceremony just because of a national song."

He or she has a point there -- they are only telling Chan how they really feel and are metaphorically standing up for what they believe in, something educational institutions try to instill in students. However, these days what kinds of values to believe in is another issue...

The students held the view the Chinese government was not serving the people, and that they, as social work students, should speak out.

But Chan said the institution, established as Mongkok Workers' Night School in 1957 and led by a board of pro-Beijing members, had always loved the country and the city.

The students felt they stood up for what they believed in

"The [college] is an institution which loves the country and Hong Kong," Chan explained to the students. "It has been upholding the patriotic flag and is uncompromising.

"And we never retreated even under colonial rule, during which we were suppressed... if you didn't know about this during your admission, you have picked the wrong school."

Pretty tough words on what should have been a day of celebration.

This is not the first time students have protested when the national anthem is played, though it is the first time students were kicked out. Chan has had to deal with rebellious students before.

At the graduation ceremony at the same place in November last year, Chan scolded students for "insulting the anthem" after some social work graduates raised signs during the song, protesting China's 2016 interpretation of the Basic Law.

We understand there are rules of decorum, but kicking students out for not standing for the national anthem?

They are not disrespecting the anthem, they are not holding up signs nor shouting protests, but just not standing.

They are honest in saying the words of the national anthem don't mean anything to them. Is that wrong, so wrong that they are not entitled to their graduation certificates?

It seems very heavy handed for a college that isn't particularly well known either -- unless Chan wants to become notorious for imposing serious punishments on what he considers unruly students.

The government isn't doing a good job in allaying people's fears about the mainlandization of China, and some educational institutions are blindly obedient without considering the possible consequences of imposing such rules around the anthem.

While a law was passed in September where people who mocked the March of the Volunteers would be punished with up to 15 days in jail, enforcement of that law has not been passed in Hong Kong or Macau yet.

Until it is legally enforced, why punish students for not standing up for the anthem?