China "Concerned" Over Economy, Youth Employment As Communist Party Delegates Gather To Discuss Issues

A spokesperson for China's political advisory body expressed on Sunday (3 March), that the economy, particularly youth employment, was a significant concern for its delegates ahead of the annual legislative meetings in Beijing.

The "Two Sessions," the Communist Party's yearly conclave, will commence on Monday, with thousands of delegates from across the country convening in Beijing, as per a report by The Economic Times.

This comes at a time when China is grappling with various challenges, including a prolonged property crisis, sluggish domestic consumption, and persistently high youth unemployment.

Liu Jieyi, a spokesman for the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), stated at a news conference on Sunday that economic issues were of paramount importance to their representatives.

"The employment situation of young people, especially recent graduates, is a major concern," he emphasised.

China recorded a 5.2 per cent economic growth last year, one of its slowest rates in decades. Officially, youth unemployment was around 15 per cent at the end of 2023, following adjustments in calculation methods by the statistics bureau.

Last summer, the jobless rate surged well above 20 per cent, leading to the statistics bureau halting the publication of the politically-sensitive figure for several months.

Liu highlighted that China's economy still had a strong foundation and favorable conditions for advancing high-quality development. He noted the country's resilience in the face of external shocks and internal challenges.

The CPPCC sessions will continue until the morning of 10 March, according to Liu.

While the discussions of the CPPCC are relatively low-stakes, the National People's Congress, the country's legislature, will convene nearly simultaneously.