New Delhi, March 3 (AHN) The Chinese government and the ruling Communist Party of China (CCP) have not taken any steps to solve the problem of limited employment opportunities in the country, and the significant decline in the wages of workers in recent years, an article said.

Despite these harsh economic realities, the expectation to display fake prosperity among the population has not eased, according to the article in Mekong News.

This is evident in the Spring Festival, during which people feel trapped between two painful choices: spend their savings to maintain face or hold back and risk humiliation.

Instead of implementing policies that genuinely reduce poverty and create sustainable livelihoods, citizens are left to conceal their struggles behind borrowed wealth and staged appearances. This widening gap between official rhetoric and the lived reality of ordinary people has only deepened feelings of hopelessness, the article observed.

The role of the CCP in this despair cannot be overlooked. Wrong policies, corruption, and systemic inefficiencies have compounded the struggles of ordinary citizens. Economic reforms that promised prosperity have often benefited elites and party insiders, while rural workers and urban migrants continue to face stagnant wages and precarious employment. Corruption at local levels has diverted resources meant for development, leaving communities without adequate support. The government’s emphasis on maintaining a façade of national strength has trickled down to individuals, who feel compelled to maintain their own façades of wealth during the Spring Festival, the article stated.

The Spring Festival, once a cherished season of family reunion and joy, has increasingly become a stage for performance and pretence in many parts of China. What should be a heartfelt celebration of family bonds has turned into a contest of appearances, where individuals feel compelled to showcase wealth they do not possess. Chinese citizens are spending their entire year’s savings in just seven days, not out of genuine festivity, but to preserve dignity in front of relatives and neighbours, the article laments.

A worker earning just over 6,000 yuan a month (around $830) saves less than 20,000 yuan annually (about $2,800). Yet during the Spring Festival, nearly half of that is spent on red envelopes and gifts alone. Another worker earning 4,000 yuan a month (about $560) sees an entire year’s savings wiped out after the holiday. Some even borrow money to build Western-style houses in their hometowns, creating a façade of success while sinking deeper into debt. These houses, shiny on the outside but hollow within, symbolise the emptiness of this forced performance. The despair is not confined to villages. In cities, families host relatives with exaggerated gestures, often beyond their means.

The irony is striking. The truly wealthy often dress simply when they return home, fearing envy or resentment. Meanwhile, the poor spend extravagantly to avoid being judged as failures. This phenomenon has been described as "generous poverty", using money to buy praise and recognition that has been absent throughout life. Yet once the festival ends, reality returns with rent, debts, and credit card bills. The cost of those seven days becomes painfully clear, the article added.