With the continuous decline of the Chinese economy, the issue of unemployment rates, especially among young people, has attracted significant attention. On October 5th, “A large group of people unable to find jobs must be resolved” trended on Weibo, once again putting China’s employment issue in the public spotlight.
Historical blogger “Cheng Yichong” analyzed in a blog post, “Every year, 12 million university graduates, with an official unemployment rate of 19% for youth aged 16-24. Every year, about 2.5 to 3 million university students are either unemployed at home preparing for exams or further studies. In recent years, all university students find it difficult to get employed, so the accumulated unemployed or underemployed may exceed 8 to 10 million people. Adding the 12 million new university graduates each year, there are a total of 20 million university graduates seeking jobs… corresponding to 4.9 million new job openings, a ratio of 4:1, clearly indicating oversupply compared to demand.”
Workplace influencer “HR-Cheng Tianhao” expressed, “The current situation of a large group of people unable to find work is an extremely grim social reality that must be acknowledged and resolved. After years of hard study, young people face job search challenges, putting effort but failing to secure suitable positions, leaving personal aspirations unfulfilled and family expectations disappointed. Employment is not just an individual’s survival issue, but also affects ordinary people’s income, confidence, and future expectations.”
Emotional blogger “Sweet Date Date T” questioned, “Is this headline about solving jobs or solving people?”
The blogger pointed out that while it is true that a large group of people unable to find work must be addressed, the key questions are how and by whom. If “solving” means “finding jobs for these people,” the question arises: where are the jobs? If “solving” means “making these people stop complaining,” it’s a different story.
She emphasized, “The inability to find jobs is not due to the lack of effort from these people. Job opportunities are shrinking, industries are transforming, AI is replacing jobs, and many sectors suddenly don’t need as many people. If you ask a 35-year-old person who has been laid off to learn programming, they might not even afford their mortgage; if you ask a fresh graduate with a master’s degree to do delivery services, after studying for 19 years, it’s not to compete with electric bikes. The problem lies not in the individuals but in the structure.”
She further stated that companies aim for profits and won’t hire more than necessary, and individuals can’t overcome the broader environment no matter how hard they try. The real action needed is at the policy level: stabilizing existing job positions, creating new job opportunities, improving social security to ensure that those unable to find work do not go without income. It’s not enough to just chant slogans; real financial investment is essential.
“The worst thing would be if ‘solving’ ends up shifting all the pressure onto individuals.” If an individual can’t find work and is simplistically labelled as “not trying hard enough” or “not adapting to changing job markets,” it won’t effectively address the employment issue. Currently, a large number of workers sustain their income through gig jobs and platform work, and if flexibility becomes excessive, it’s almost like just “flexing to survive.”
The blogger emphasized that the weight of the phrase “must be resolved” should not solely rest on those unable to find work. “Whoever created this problem should step up to solve it. Don’t let the headline become an empty phrase, and most importantly, don’t truly ‘resolve’ people unable to find work.”
In recent years, as China’s economic growth has slowed, the real estate market remains sluggish, and some traditional industries shrink while companies become more cautious in hiring, many workers face the dual pressure of “hard-to-find jobs” and declining income. Especially for recent graduates, young job seekers, and some middle-aged unemployed individuals, job hunting has become even more challenging.
The employment issue not only impacts personal income but is also closely related to consumer spending, family burdens, and future expectations. Particularly for young people entering the labor market, the ability to secure stable employment directly affects their independent living, housing, marriage, and family planning.