A teenage girl in China travelled to Hong Kong to attend a concert, leading to a review of her family’s eligibility for government living allowances.
The girl, with the surname Huang, is a technical secondary school student from Ganzhou in eastern Jiangxi province, according to the South China Morning Post.
They were unsure what they would do in the future without government support. She added that it was difficult to comment on Huang’s actions, as she may have been naive, may not have known that Hong Kong is considered overseas, or may not have understood the possible consequences. The government also clarified that the family’s qualification for receiving the subsidy had not yet been revoked. If their spending goes beyond set standards, authorities can end the financial aid.
On September 7, the government of Ganzhou’s Economic Development Zone, where Huang’s family lives, said it was reviewing the case.
Huang’s cousin said her parents were deeply worried. The cousin also said that the family was reassuring Huang’s parents and grandmother. Li Su, a lawyer from Beijing Huicheng Law Firm, said China’s social assistance rules require families receiving government subsidies to be reviewed in a dynamic manner.
Before the trip, local community officials warned Huang several times that travelling to Hong Kong could affect her family’s eligibility for the government allowance.
