China’s youth unemployment crisis sparks ‘pretend work’ trend, grows desperation

Rampant youth unemployment in China has left millions of young people struggling, staying at home, depending on delivery gigs, or increasingly engaging in the growing trend of “pretending to go to work.”

According to a Radio Free Asia report, on the video-sharing platform Douyin, young people are developing routines where none exist, spending their days studying or job hunting in libraries and internet cafes. Some are even paying for “study rooms” to escape the house and bring structure to their daily lives, often while preparing for the highly competitive civil service exams, according to state media reports.

The situation has given rise to a hashtag on social media, #IPretendedToGoToWorkToday, with young people sharing short videos on Douyin about how they spend their day. In one video under the hashtag, a young woman gives a tour of her hometown, showing the railway station, local shopping streets, and scenic spots, while masking her face with a computer-generated animation.

The report further stated that in another video, a young woman is seen relaxing on the stairwell and rooftop of her apartment building, seemingly avoiding relatives and neighbours who believe she is at work.

A November 5 feature in Banyuetan magazine, published under the state news agency Xinhua, revealed that it is very common for people up to the age of 40 in rural areas to still live with their parents, who often provide financial support from their pensions. The report noted that this situation contradicts the Communist Party’s promise to “comprehensively revitalize rural areas”.

In response to the article, YouTube commentator Lying Uncle Ping stated, “This reliance on parents is ultimately an issue of employment or job security. The solution is to create more job opportunities and higher-quality employment”.

He pointed out that at least rural families with land have a means of supporting themselves if they face financial difficulties. However, a former resident of rural Hebei, who only provided the surname Wang for fear of retaliation, noted that not everyone in rural areas still has access to land. “In the more developed southern regions, people can return home and work in local factories,” Wang explained.

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

In recent decades, much of the agricultural land in certain areas has been repurposed for development, leaving many struggling.

Wang explained that in central regions, some households now have less than one Mu (about 1/15th of a hectare) of land, making it impossible to sustain even a basic living from farming. A young man from a rural village in Guangdong, who went by the pseudonym “Marginal Person,” shared with Radio Free Asia that many young people are relying on their parents because of the poor local economy.

When asked about their activities, he mentioned that they are mainly working as food delivery drivers, growing vegetables, and trying their luck with the lottery.

He explained that the lottery offers several different games, with odds ranging from 1 in 9,500 to 1 in 95. While some have won substantial amounts, using their winnings to buy apartments and get married, others have lost everything. The young man noted that many people feel a sense of shame about their situation. “Food delivery work in my town is mostly done by outsiders, as locals are too embarrassed to be seen and ridiculed by people they know,” he added.

In a different article, Banyuetan spoke with young people in urban areas who are renting desks in shared study spaces rather than staying at home doing nothing. These rented study areas are especially popular among those preparing for civil service or postgraduate exams. The article mentioned that the market for such spaces is expected to grow to over 10 million by next year.

However, the trend is also attracting unemployed young people who rent the desks simply to appear productive and create a space away from their families. Renting a desk offers them a refuge from parental criticism or constant questioning about their job search.

The desks can be rented by hour, day, month, or year, with prices averaging around 500 yuan (about $70) per month. Each space typically includes a chair, lamp, charging outlets, and a locker for personal items.

The popularity of shared study spaces has grown so much that vacant desks are becoming increasingly difficult to find, especially in high-demand areas, according to the report. In September, China’s unemployment rate for young people aged 16 to 24, excluding students, dropped to 17.6 per cent, down from 18.8 per cent the previous month.

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

However, the article did not provide specific measures to achieve this. It did, however, underscore youth unemployment as a key concern. Xi stated that the employment of young people, especially college graduates, should be prioritized. He also called for measures to support the employment of migrant workers and to assist groups facing hardship, such as the long-term unemployed. Xi further stressed the importance of eliminating employment discrimination and ensuring the payment of owed wages.

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

“People are feeling increasingly aggrieved after the economic downturn,” Ji explained. “The Communist Party is worried about this growing discontent and the potential for social instability”.

However, Xi also cautioned that if the government doesn’t implement significant reforms, it risks alienating both domestic private businesses and foreign investors. “If they don’t make a drastic shift in policy, they will face serious consequences,” he warned.

Financial commentator He Jiangbing also criticized the economic policies under Xi Jinping. He 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 called for a revival of stronger trade relations and a return to the export-driven economic model that was in place before the pandemic.

He Jiangbing argued, “If a company can’t engage in exports, it won’t be able to create new jobs; instead, it will start laying off workers.” He added, “In this scenario, all the talk about employment is just empty rhetoric.”

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

“It’s Xi Jinping himself who’s the problem, the reason the Chinese economy is ruined and the labour market is depressed,” he said. “There’s no freedom or vitality these days … when a single official document can destroy an entire industry, a wrong word on WeChat can get a person fired or imprisoned.”

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