Young Chinese, stung by years of Covid rules, fear grim job futures
A sluggish economy continues to leave many young people unemployed, with little prospect of employment or hope of benefiting from the growing incomes enjoyed by their parents during times of prosperity.
Mandy Liu, a 21-year-old university student in Beijing, believes that anyone who has lived in China during the pandemic can see that the future of the country looks increasingly uncertain.< /p>
Covid restrictions were stifling and job opportunities were bleak. She is due to graduate with a degree in tourism management next year and has submitted more than 80 job applications. She didn't get any offers.
Many young people followed what the Chinese Communist Party told them to do, only to be disappointed, Ms. Liu said. "What we're seeing is people struggling to survive."
That discontent has boiled over in recent weeks as throngs of students, job seekers Jobs and young professionals have taken to the streets of major cities across China to protest against the government's iron fist rules over Covid. The unrest highlighted the party's longstanding concern that a dearth of jobs and economic opportunities for young people posed a threat to social stability.
Beijing caved in to protesters on Wednesday' and eased many of its 'zero Covid' restrictions. But the biggest and thorniest problem remains: A lousy job market with too many candidates jostling for too few jobs could mean that China's decades of economic prosperity may soon be out of reach for many young people. .
Youth unemployment is still near the highest levels on record, with 11.6 million more university graduates preparing to join the job market next year. next year. "Students want to protest because we feel our situation is getting worse," said Ms. Liu, who has not participated in recent protests.
Covid restrictions have undermined the momentum of an economy already reeling from a housing market crash. A government crackdown on fast-growing industries such as technology and private education has undermined opportunities in the private sector, intensifying competition for government jobs and admission to graduate schools.
The shrinking outlook betrayed the expectations of a generation of young people raised in relative prosperity as beneficiaries of a rising economy that provided stable jobs and growing incomes for their parents. Students were told that by studying hard, they too could enjoy a better life.
"The promise was that if you educate yourself you will get a job well-paid. It's not materializing anymore," said Max Zenglein, chief economist at the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Berlin. "Being the first generation that's going to be disappointed, that creates a lot of emotional pressure." p>
When Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader, addressed the Communist Party Congress in 2017, he said that "a nation will only prosper when its young people prosper" He repeated the mantra again in October before the start of a
A sluggish economy continues to leave many young people unemployed, with little prospect of employment or hope of benefiting from the growing incomes enjoyed by their parents during times of prosperity.
Mandy Liu, a 21-year-old university student in Beijing, believes that anyone who has lived in China during the pandemic can see that the future of the country looks increasingly uncertain.< /p>
Covid restrictions were stifling and job opportunities were bleak. She is due to graduate with a degree in tourism management next year and has submitted more than 80 job applications. She didn't get any offers.
Many young people followed what the Chinese Communist Party told them to do, only to be disappointed, Ms. Liu said. "What we're seeing is people struggling to survive."
That discontent has boiled over in recent weeks as throngs of students, job seekers Jobs and young professionals have taken to the streets of major cities across China to protest against the government's iron fist rules over Covid. The unrest highlighted the party's longstanding concern that a dearth of jobs and economic opportunities for young people posed a threat to social stability.
Beijing caved in to protesters on Wednesday' and eased many of its 'zero Covid' restrictions. But the biggest and thorniest problem remains: A lousy job market with too many candidates jostling for too few jobs could mean that China's decades of economic prosperity may soon be out of reach for many young people. .
Youth unemployment is still near the highest levels on record, with 11.6 million more university graduates preparing to join the job market next year. next year. "Students want to protest because we feel our situation is getting worse," said Ms. Liu, who has not participated in recent protests.
Covid restrictions have undermined the momentum of an economy already reeling from a housing market crash. A government crackdown on fast-growing industries such as technology and private education has undermined opportunities in the private sector, intensifying competition for government jobs and admission to graduate schools.
The shrinking outlook betrayed the expectations of a generation of young people raised in relative prosperity as beneficiaries of a rising economy that provided stable jobs and growing incomes for their parents. Students were told that by studying hard, they too could enjoy a better life.
"The promise was that if you educate yourself you will get a job well-paid. It's not materializing anymore," said Max Zenglein, chief economist at the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Berlin. "Being the first generation that's going to be disappointed, that creates a lot of emotional pressure." p>
When Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader, addressed the Communist Party Congress in 2017, he said that "a nation will only prosper when its young people prosper" He repeated the mantra again in October before the start of a
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