BEIJING: China had been going through severe crises since the first Covid case was confirmed. Reports suggest that the virus spread along with the consequent lockdowns and death rates have had a drastic impact on the financial security of the country. As a result, the government has asked teachers and other officials to pay back their bonuses, said a report.

The fear of a 25 percent cut in salaries exists in the country. The local governments across China have charged Yuan 20,000 each in repayments for the first quarter of 2021 from the civil servants and teachers at public institutions in Henan, Jiangxi and Guangdong provinces. Bonuses have also been suspended.

In some provinces, the government has ordered the employees to repay their bonuses within 10 days. All provinces except Shanghai, has reported fiscal deficits. According to official figures, the deficit of provincial governments rose by 30 percent in the first half of 2020.