Recently, China's National Bureau of Statistics announced it would suspend the release of youth unemployment data. Currently, China's youth unemployment rate remains high, consistently breaking records. A substantial number of young people find themselves “unemployed upon graduation.” (Video Screenshot)
[People News] China’s unemployment problem is worsening, sparking widespread attention and discussion. Topics related to “unemployment” are proliferating on social media platforms like Douyin, Kuaishou, and Xiaohongshu. Many users on these platforms are sharing their experiences: some lament the hardships of life, others complain about workplace injustices, and others express helplessness and anger.
According to Radio Free Asia, as China’s economic growth slows, many young people on platforms like Douyin, WeChat, Kuaishou, and Xiaohongshu are complaining about layoffs or struggling to find work. This past Monday, an unemployed woman posted a video on Douyin, tearfully recounting, “I’m unemployed; I might not be able to survive. I just completed my resignation procedures today, and today is my last day at work. Everyone says that many big companies are laying off employees in 2024, and I didn’t expect to be one of them. This morning, I was still happily heading to work, only for my boss to call an urgent meeting in the afternoon to inform us that our work here ends today.”
This woman, in her 30s, added that jobs are hard to find elsewhere: “One female coworker just had her second child, and everyone is talking about how hard it is to find work. I think about my fixed monthly expenses—mortgage, utilities, food, all daily needs, and installment payments on my credit card. My fixed monthly expenses are over 10,000 yuan, and this sudden unemployment caught me completely off guard.”
Top Chinese tech companies, Alibaba and Tencent, have carried out large-scale layoffs in 2024. Alibaba laid off 14,369 employees in the first quarter and another 6,729 in the second, bringing the total layoffs this year to over 20,000. Tencent, meanwhile, has been downsizing since 2022, with its workforce reduced by about 10% across several departments as of 2024.
“Internet Companies Lay Off Every Three Months”
An internet worker shared online that it has been difficult to find a job since the pandemic: “I’ve been in Beijing for five years, and I still don’t have a house, car, or household registration. But in times like these, I feel fortunate not to have those burdens. I work in operations for an internet company, and the internet market is sluggish now. The company lays off a large number of employees about every three months. Over the past three years, I’ve often worked until two or three in the morning, even the day before giving birth, but I never mentioned the layoffs at home.”
This year, there are 11.7 million new graduates in China’s job market. According to several sources, the actual employment rate for this year’s college graduates is about 50%, lower than last year. Many companies have started by laying off older employees.
Netizen Wang Haihong shared, “I’m 50 years old. Twenty-seven years ago, I came to Shanghai from a small place in Jiangsu to work, and after years of hard work, I finally bought a house and car and established a career. I thought I would be able to continue down my professional path steadily into middle age.”
However, Wang was taken aback by his company’s sudden layoffs, which shattered his hopes and made him part of the tide of layoffs. He said, “Now, being laid off is real for me, and the uncertainty about the future feels like a mountain I can’t climb.”
According to reports, many companies explicitly refuse to hire people over 35, putting job seekers in this age group in a difficult position. On the one hand, they possess substantial work experience and professional skills; on the other, they are excluded due to their age and denied a fair chance to compete.
Going to the Library to Pretend to Work After Being Laid Off
In WeChat videos, many young people who cannot find work openly admit to spending time at Starbucks or libraries to pass the day and avoid letting their families know they are unemployed. A recent Wuhan University graduate shared that he goes to the library every day to sit idly, pretending to work: “Since being laid off from my last job over four months ago, I’ve been pretending to go to work, waking up around seven in the morning, getting to the library by eight, but it’s already hard to find a seat by that time. You wouldn’t believe it—many people in the library are pretending to work, just like me. I don’t see this as avoidance but rather as keeping my life structured as if I were still working.”
Online comments describe a new type of “homeless person” in China’s cities: recently unemployed tech professionals who spend their days in libraries to maintain a “respectable” appearance, living off their savings until they can find a new job.
China’s Unemployment Problem Has Not Yet Reached Its Worst
Senior financial commentator Cai Shenkun told Radio Free Asia that China’s unemployment issue might worsen: “I believe the unemployment problem will only get worse. Right now, on platforms like Douyin, Kuaishou, and Xiaohongshu, many people are crying out. Some are doing it for attention, but a large number genuinely reflect reality. This is a basic reflection of China’s unemployment situation.”
Cai believes that massive unemployment not only reflects the current difficulties in China’s labor market but also highlights society’s concern and anxiety about the issue. He said this isn’t the time when government funding can stimulate the economy or rescue businesses: “Companies are currently unwilling to invest and don’t have better investment channels. How can private businesses even talk about development in such circumstances?”
News magazine bootstrap themes!
I like this themes, fast loading and look profesional
Thank you Carlos!
You're welcome!
Please support me with give positive rating!
Yes Sure!