Story By: John Feng, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report
AsiaWire
Two of China’s biggest crowdfunding platforms are in the spotlight after a video seen over 10 million times in under 24 hours showed one company’s employee stamping on a rival’s head.
The incident reportedly happened outside the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University in Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei Province in North China, on Monday (13th April).
According to reports, staff members from companies Shuidichou and Qingsongchou were present at the facility and “going from room to room” while attempting to convince poorly and poverty-stricken patients to ‘sign up’ on their platforms.
AsiaWire 
AsiaWire 
AsiaWire 
AsiaWire
The businesses, and other similar platforms, are credited with helping tens of thousands of impoverished patients who need money to pay for medical bills, but who for one reason or another fall outside China’s social welfare net.
Despite their apparently charitable intentions, their intense crowdfunding efforts have often been described by Chinese media as ‘exhausting’ or ‘milking’ philanthropy.
The latest embarrassing incident happened as staff from the rival companies locked horns at the hospital.
The short video filmed at the hospital entrance allegedly shows a Qingsongchou employee on the ground, before a Shuidichou staff member stomps on his head and kicks him while he is down.
Qingsongchou said its staff member was seriously injured during the incident, and that it was fully cooperating with an ongoing police investigation to seek justice for its employee.
Shijiazhuang police have not released details about the suspect or the victim, while Qingsongchou said its viral’s employee “intended to maim” his victim.
In its statement, Qingsongchou said Shuidichou staff had threatened and provoked its employees.
In a he said, she said response, Shuidichou denied the allegations, claiming instead that the video “did not show the full picture”.
The company apologised for its staff member’s “rash actions”, but then accused Qingsongchou staff members in other cities of destroying its promotional material.
The authorities, meanwhile, have yet to offer any clarity about the trending incident.
Shuidichou and Qingsongchou are among China’s largest crowdfunding platforms.
Both headquartered in Chinese capital Beijing, they each have tens of millions of pounds of backing in the form of Series C investment.
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