China’s youth unemployment crisis fuels ‘pretend work’ trend, growing frustrations

China’s massive youth unemployment has left millions of young people struggling, living at home, relying on delivery programs, or engaging in a growing trend of “pretending to go to work.”

According to a report by Radio Free Asia on the video-sharing platform Douyin, young people are developing routines where no one exists, spending their days studying or looking for jobs in libraries and Internet cafes. According to state media reports, some people are even paying for “study rooms” to escape home and bring structure to their daily lives, often while preparing for highly competitive civil service examinations.

The situation has given rise to a hashtag on social media, #IPretentedToGoToWorkToday, in which young people are sharing short videos on Douyin about how they spend their day. In a video under the hashtag, a young woman tours her hometown, showing the railway station, local shopping streets and sights, while she hides her face with a computer-generated animation.

The report further said that in another video, a young woman is seen resting on the stairs and terrace of her apartment building, avoiding relatives and neighbors who believe she is at work.

A feature published on November 5 in Banyuetan magazine, published under the state news agency Xinhua, revealed that in rural areas it is very common for people up to the age of 40 to still live with their parents, often living off their pensions. Provide financial assistance. The report said this situation runs contrary to the Communist Party’s promise to “comprehensively revitalize rural areas”.

In response to the article, YouTube commentator Laing Uncle Ping said, “This dependence on parents is ultimately an issue of employment or job security. The solution is to create more employment opportunities and high quality jobs.

he/she explained that at least rural families with land have a means to support themselves when faced with financial difficulties. However, a former resident of rural Hebei, who provided only the surname Wang for fear of retribution, said not everyone in rural areas still has access to land. “In more developed southern areas, people can return home and work in local factories,” Wang said.

“But in the North, where I live, there are hardly any factories in the rural areas, so farming is the only option”.

In recent decades, much of the agricultural land in some areas has been reclaimed for development, leaving many people struggling.

In central areas, some households now own less than one mu of land (about 1/15th of a hectare), Wang said, making even a basic living from farming impossible. A young man from a rural village in Guangdong, who goes by the pseudonym “Marginal Person”, shared with Radio Free Asia that many young people are dependent on their parents due to the poor local economy.

When asked about his/her activities, he/she said he/she mainly worked as a food delivery driver, growing vegetables and trying his/her luck with lotteries.

he/she explained that the lottery offers many different games, with odds ranging from 1 in 9,500 to 1 in 95. While some have won huge sums of money, used their winnings to buy apartments and get married, others have lost everything. The young man said that many people feel a sense of shame about their situation. he/she further said, “Food delivery in my city is mostly done by outsiders, as the locals feel shy to be seen and are made fun of by people they know.”

In a separate article, Banyuetan spoke to young people in urban areas who are renting desks in shared study spaces instead of staying at home with nothing to do. These rented study areas are especially popular among those preparing for civil services or postgraduate examinations. The article mentions that the market for such places is expected to exceed 10 million by next year.

However, this trend is also attracting unemployed youth who rent desks just to appear productive and have space away from their families. Renting a desk gives them relief from parents’ criticism or constant questions about their job search.

Desks can be rented by the hour, day, month or year, with an average price of about 500 yuan (about $70) per month. Each space typically includes a chair, lamp, charging outlet, and a locker for personal items.

According to the report, the popularity of shared study spaces has grown so much that it is becoming harder to find a vacant desk, especially in high-demand areas. In September, China’s unemployment rate for youth aged 16 to 24, excluding students, fell to 17.6 percent from 18.8 percent the previous month.

On October 31, Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping published an article in the party magazine Qiushi, stressing the need for “full, high-quality employment” to enhance workers’ well-being, happiness, and security.

However, the article did not provide specific measures to achieve this. However, it highlighted youth unemployment as a major concern. Xi said employment of youth, especially college graduates, should be prioritized. he/she also called for measures to support the employment of migrant workers and assist groups facing difficulties such as the long-term unemployed. Xi also stressed the importance of eliminating employment discrimination and ensuring payment of outstanding salaries.

Political analyst Ji Feng suggested that the government was deeply concerned that high unemployment could spark social unrest.

“After the economic recession, people are feeling increasingly distressed,” Gee said. “The Communist Party is concerned about this growing discontent and the potential for social instability”.

However, Xi also warned that if the government does not implement significant reforms, it risks alienating both domestic private businesses and foreign investors. “If they don’t make major changes in policy, they will face serious consequences,” he/she warned.

Financial commentator he/she Jiangbing also criticized the economic policies under Xi Jinping. he/she pointed out that private companies are the primary employers but are struggling to meet the demand for jobs, as state-owned enterprises are unable to address the employment issue. he/she called for reviving strong trade ties and a return to the export-driven economic model that existed before the pandemic.

he/she Jiangbing argued, “If a company cannot engage in exports, it will not be able to create new jobs; Instead, it will begin laying off employees. “In this scenario, all the talk about employment is just empty rhetoric,” he/she said.

Germany-based social media influencer Great Firewall Frog claimed that Xi’s policies had drained the vitality of the Chinese economy.

he/she said, “It is Xi Jinping himself who is the problem, because of which the Chinese economy is ruined and the labor market is depressed.” “There’s no freedom or vibrancy these days… When an official document can destroy an entire industry, one wrong word on WeChat can get a person fired or jailed.”

“How can he/she say things like ‘promoting high-quality, full employment’? It’s hilarious,” he/she said. “Dude, the guy should do stand-up,” the influencer said.