Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
This study aims to explore how institutional and information barriers constrain China’s pension portability across regions and systems. Drawing on fieldwork and in-depth interviews conducted in four major Chinese cities, the study proposes a novel four-dimensional analytical framework grounded in holistic governance theory. This framework provides a fresh theoretical perspective to address the challenges associated with pension transfer. Our findings show that China’s pension insurance transfer mechanism encounters multiple challenges, including fragmented governance structure, regional disparities, complicated electronic transfer processes, institutional constraints, and information gaps. To address these challenges, we propose actionable strategies, including establishing a tiered responsibility system, setting up a national mediation office, developing a ‘freeze-segmented settlement’ mechanism, and advancing the phased standardization of a data system to better safeguard worker’s pension rights. While our findings are primarily derived from developed cities in eastern China and are based on a limited sample of insured individuals, this study contributes twofold: it extends the application of holistic governance theory to the field of pension portability, and provides practical solutions to facilitate the realization of this critical social security function.
Liu et al. (Wed,) studied this question.