"Even though a recession has not taken place, a lot of the symptoms of recession have been experienced by this young generation, particularly around unemployment and underemployment. Youth unemployment is high - around 17% - and that number also doesn't capture the growing number of graduates taking jobs they never expected to need."
"College education has become much more attainable for young adults. Yet the returns to college education have not kept pace. As young adults in China confront an economy that no longer seems able to deliver on the promise of a steadily better future, a scarcity mindset is shaping their everyday spending decisions."
China achieved its 5% GDP growth target in 2025 with stable exports and industrial output, but underlying economic challenges persist. The real estate sector continues declining, trade tensions with the US remain unresolved, and a critical issue emerges: young Chinese people are losing faith in their economic future. Millennials and Gen Z experience recession-like symptoms including high unemployment around 17% and underemployment, with college graduates taking unexpected jobs like food delivery and meter reading. College education has become more accessible, but returns on that education have stagnated. Young adults adopt cautious spending habits driven by scarcity mindset rather than confidence, as job prospects weaken and price growth remains flat.
#china-economy #youth-unemployment #real-estate-crisis #consumer-confidence #generational-economic-anxiety
Read at Business Insider
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