The idea of a universal basic income (UBI) – an unconditional cash payment paid to everyone – has been gaining a lot of attention recently. The appeal can be partly linked to major social-economic trends being observed across the world, including remaining levels of poverty and growing inequality. The intrigue is also rooted in the perceived risks of job losses due to technological advancement. In either case, UBI is being considered as a potential solution to the many socio-economic challenges confronted by the world today. With this paper, UNDP China hopes merely to invite thoughts and discussion from policy makers and development practitioners on the topic of UBI and its potential in China, providing insights on a relatively new and debated topic.