China’s economy continues to decline, with a large number of enterprises closing down, laying off employees, cutting salaries, and unemployment rates soaring. In particular, middle-aged individuals who have elderly dependents, children, and housing loans have become the hardest-hit group in the wave of job losses. Their unemployment has brought heavy economic and life pressures to their families.
The mainland employment market views the age of 40 as a threshold, often considering this group as having high labor costs and being older in age. When layoffs occur, middle-aged employees are often the first to be let go. However, many of them are the main breadwinners in their families, responsible for their children’s education, mortgage payments, car loans, and daily expenses. After losing their jobs, they struggle to find new employment and can only rely on odd jobs to make ends meet, facing tremendous pressure.
宋琪 (alias), a 44-year-old civil engineer, shared with Dajiyuan that a few years ago his monthly income could reach around 20,000 yuan. With the decline in the real estate industry, he has been unemployed for over a year and has lost confidence in life. “I can’t support my family anymore. My wife divorced me because I couldn’t earn money, and my daughter dropped out of high school to work. I am now of no use to my family.”
It’s not just the middle class facing these challenges; the situation for ordinary people is extremely difficult as well. Even finding temporary work is not easy.
李和 (alias), a common citizen, told Dajiyuan that due to age restrictions, he has been unemployed for over a year. “I can’t find a job. I have been practically jobless for a year, doing odd jobs to barely get by.” He expressed his helplessness, mentioning that some jobs can only be obtained through connections. “We common folks don’t have connections and are restricted by age, so no companies want to hire us.”
李和 often goes to the local labor market around 4 or 5 in the morning, seeing many unemployed individuals waiting for work there. Even when he occasionally finds a job, the income is only one or two thousand yuan, and sometimes he even encounters employers withholding wages.
“I’ve been there countless times, and it’s still not working out. Surviving now is difficult, and it will be even worse next year.” He mentioned that many of his colleagues are at a loss and have to return to their hometowns to find temporary construction work.
徐勤 (alias), a 50-year-old individual, also relies on odd jobs to make a living. Due to fierce industry competition, she is frequently laid off by employers.
徐勤 told Dajiyuan that China’s internal situation is extremely difficult, with employment becoming increasingly challenging. “Wages are getting lower, and there are more and more idle people. I worked at a hotel before, but after just three months, someone else took over the job, with everyone scrambling to do even the dirtiest jobs.”
周信 (alias), a Chinese citizen, expressed to Dajiyuan that China is heading towards a closed-off direction, with chaotic foreign relations, leaving them with no choice but to focus on the so-called “internal circulation.” Ultimately, ordinary people bear the brunt of the pressure. “The people in the mainland are suffering too much, facing tremendous hardships. They are being exploited, like cows and horses, with no protection for their rights.”