BEIJING – Firm Linked to China’s Ministry of Public Security Accused of Owing 80+ Million Yuan in Back Pay, as Workers Report Hardship, Asset Transfers, and Possible Official Misconduct
Beijing Ruian Technology Co., Ltd. (北京锐安科技有限公司), a supplier of surveillance and security systems for the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and military units, faces accusations of holding back more than 80 million yuan (about $11 million USD) in wages over the last two years.
While the story rarely appears in China’s domestic media, the claims point to a larger problem: politically connected tech firms can avoid consequences that other companies would face fast.
More than 300 employees say they’ve fallen into serious financial trouble. Many are engineers and technicians who helped build facial recognition, video analytics, and public security monitoring tools.
Several workers also say managers warned them about “social security suspension” if they push claims, a threat that can put health coverage, pensions, and future job options at risk in China’s tightly managed labor system.
Close links to power
Ruian sits near the center of China’s domestic security supply chain. As a regular vendor for the MPS, the company supports the “Sharp Eyes” (雪亮工程) program and other camera and monitoring networks used in cities, transit hubs, and sensitive areas. These tools feed into police work, some military uses, and a broader model of tech-driven policing that has drawn criticism outside China.
People familiar with the firm say its proximity to the MPS gives it unusual protection. That cover, they claim, lets executives delay wages without fear of the inspections and penalties that often hit private firms. Whistleblowers also allege that while employees go unpaid, money moves through quiet channels to related entities tied to MPS influence.
How large the wage arrears are
Employees and leaked internal materials shared among overseas Chinese circles put the total unpaid wages at more than 80 million yuan, building up since early 2024. For many, missing pay includes base salary, bonuses, and expense reimbursements. Some say they’ve waited months, others say the delays stretch close to two years.
- People affected: More than 300 current and former staff, mostly in R&D, software, and systems integration
- Estimated arrears per person: Often cited at 200,000 to 300,000 yuan each, a heavy blow in Beijing’s high-cost market
- Other pressures: Reports include deductions from partial payments, backdated pay cuts, and “voluntary” unpaid leave during slow periods
At the same time, workers say social insurance payments have become uncertain. In China, gaps in contributions can block medical reimbursement, weaken pension eligibility, and create problems when applying for jobs that require continuous coverage records.
Claims of asset transfers and profiteering in China
Whistleblowers make sharper allegations as well. They describe a pattern of draining company resources, including money tied to government contracts. According to these accounts, project funds may have been redirected to related companies or personal accounts connected to senior officials or intermediaries.
Reported accusations include:
- Hidden asset moves: Staff claims the company shifted IP, equipment, and cash to MPS-linked entities, often described as “restructuring” or “cooperative projects.”
- Personal gain at the top: Some allege executives and connected figures took portions of contract income, leaving payroll and operations short
- Layoffs and pay cuts without consent: Workers report 30% to 50% salary reductions, followed by exits framed as “performance” terminations to limit severance
If proven, these actions would run against China’s Labor Law, which requires on-time wages, limits improper deductions, and calls for consultation when changing pay terms.
A day-to-day crisis for technical staff
For many workers, most of them in their 20s and 30s, the wage delays have become a basic survival issue. Some say they’ve drained savings. Others borrowed from parents, took side gigs, or cut back on rent and essentials.
A former engineer, speaking anonymously, described the emotional toll: “We built systems that monitor millions of people, but nobody protects us. Bills keep coming. Kids need school fees. Parents need medicine. When we ask for our pay, they tell us to wait and think about the bigger goal.”
Workers also say the threat of social security suspension keeps many silent. In a hukou-linked system, a break in coverage can trigger wider problems, including reduced access to services and trouble with credit and employment checks.
Censorship and a wider budget squeeze
Inside China, public discussion of the Ruian dispute appears heavily restricted. Searches on Weibo, Baidu, and major news sites show little to nothing. People who try to post about “Ruian” and “wages” say the content disappears quickly. As a result, many details circulate mainly through overseas channels and VPN-based discussions.
This dispute also comes during financial strain across parts of China’s public security and tech contracting space. Local governments and agencies carry large debts after years of major spending, including surveillance buildouts. As growth slows and revenue tightens, workers and observers describe a pattern: some favored contractors keep projects moving while treating payroll as something they can postpone.
Similar wage delays have surfaced at other state-linked tech vendors, although reports say few match Ruian’s size or its MPS ties. That contrast stands out; the industry relies on skilled graduates, yet workers say they carry the cost when cash flow turns political.
What it could mean for China’s surveillance goals
Ruian’s role in China’s monitoring infrastructure makes the wage crisis hard to ignore. A company helping run one of the largest surveillance systems in the world now struggles to pay its own workforce. That raises several risks:
- Talent loss: Engineers may leave for private firms or jobs abroad, which can weaken future development
- Lower system quality: Unpaid and stressed teams may cut corners on security work
- Damage outside China: Even if domestic coverage stays limited, leaks support claims of worker abuse inside state-backed tech
For now, employees continue to chase pay through informal pressure, labor arbitration offices (often seen as slow in sensitive cases), and occasional public appeals. Without action from higher levels, many workers expect a long wait.
As China’s fiscal pressure grows, the Ruian wage scandal points to a deeper issue: state-linked companies may enjoy protection, technical staff absorb the losses, and censorship hides the personal costs behind “stability maintenance.” In the end, people who build the tools of control can still end up trapped by the same system.
