Unemployed, Broke, and Hopeless: China's Silent Crisis Unfolds

Unemployed woman collapses, unable to bear it. Shanghai man is almost out of food. Man. After the Spring Festival, migrant workers prepare to return to the cities. Will they still leave on the 3rd, 6th and 9th of the lunar month as before? Some go on the 9th, some on the 6th, and others as early as the 3rd. Often the holiday isn't even over, yet they must leave behind parents, grandparents and children to rush back to work. Now, as middle-aged people, especially many middle-aged migrant workers, the most embarrassing thing is that they can't go back to the countryside, nor can they stay in the city. There are no jobs here, and people don't want to farm there. They can't stay in their hometown, yet they can't go to a foreign land either. You can stay in the countryside, but it is full of desolation with nothing to do. The city is full of hope, but there is no place for you to stay. Now many Chinese people have to face a grim reality, unemployment. A 36-year-old divorced and unemployed woman said, Woman, I feel like I can't take it anymore since I became unemployed. I feel increasingly lost and unable to break through my current situation. I have no interest in anything. The pressure of rent and the burden of three meals a day make me more and more anxious. I see my wallet shrinking every day. I really don't know what I should do in the coming days. I don't dare to ask my family for money because I can't bring myself to tell them I haven't worked in a long time. I just don't want to add to their worries and make them anxious, which would, in turn, add pressure on me. I was born in 1984. I am 41 years old this year and have been unemployed for a year and a half. Today, I went to interview at two companies and was rejected. The reason? I am too old. When I open recruitment apps, the jobs recommended to me are in food delivery, express courier services, housekeeping, security, and ride-hailing services like Didi. I have been unemployed for seven months. I will turn 30 in July this year. I have no savings, no house, and no car. I graduated from Boston University in 2016 with a degree in film and television. It has been nearly seven months since last August, and I have not had a formal job with five social insurances and one housing fund during this time. How many of you told your parents that you went out to work after the new year, but, in reality, went out to look for a job, or didn't even receive an interview invitation, and ended up staying in your rental all day? I wonder if the unemployed are feeling anxious now. I lost my job because my company suddenly shut down, and I have not paid social security for more than a year. I was job hunting last year and have contacted nearly 8,000 companies so far. Before the new year, when I thought about being unemployed, I could comfort myself with excuses like, the Chinese New Year is coming soon, there are no good jobs, or let's see after the new year. But now that the Chinese New Year is over, I am anxious and don't know what to do next. Thinking about last year, I wandered aimlessly like many others, stayed in nearly 30 hotels, and spoke to nearly 200 people. In fact, sometimes I have to go out even when I don't have any interviews lined up because I have to bear the immense psychological pressure from my parents back home. Gradually, I began to prefer hiding alone in a corner of my room, not even turning on the lights. Sometimes, even though I know there won't be any job updates in the middle of the night, I still habitually open recruitment apps until past 3 a.m. Maybe some people will tell you to just find a temporary job as a transition, but what they don't understand is that if you are in a certain industry or circle, you may never be able to escape it. Some might say that you lack ability and ambition, but don't let others' opinions and words dictate your pace. Those who haven't experienced this can't truly empathize with you. But you have to believe that this phase will pass. Even in Shanghai, a first-tier city in China, unemployment is a serious issue. Woman, the Rural Revitalization Campaign will begin in 2025. Before the Lunar New Year, county government staff visited the Chamber of Commerce, encouraging us to return to our hometowns to start businesses and invest. When I went home for the New Year, the village secretary was also tracking this. Anyone from the village doing business outside was being counted. The Chinese government's policy now is to revitalize the countryside and push young people to return home to start businesses. But I've observed that 95% of urban businesses are losing money, very few are profitable, and most are struggling. The cities are already oversaturated. But what can we even do in the countryside? It seems the CCP's fancy rhetoric about encouraging young people to return home and start businesses no longer fools ordinary people. Under employment pressure, those with mortgages are suffering the most. Man, I congratulate those who haven't bought a house yet. You've successfully avoided a massive trap, a super-huge one. I bought a house last year, and so far, its value has dropped by 500,000 yuan. I have to pay 6,000 yuan in mortgage every month, not even counting interest. Now I finally understand what people meant when they said, you work every month, but you're actually working for the bank. On the 10th of each month, 6,000 yuan is automatically deducted from my bank account. It's heartbreaking. This is the money I worked so hard to earn. But now it's gone. When I first bought the house, I was impulsive. I had been renting for years and wanted a place of my own to feel more secure and independent. But in reality, renting was better. The financial pressure wasn't so overwhelming. My monthly mortgage is 6,000 yuan, while my salary is 12,000 yuan. I end up paying 10,000 yuan to the bank every month. It's infuriating. Worse, my house has already lost 500,000 yuan in value. And that's not even counting interest. If I factor in interest, the loss is even greater. Unless you're buying a house for marriage or some other crucial reason, people like us should never buy a house. Really? Never. It's too terrifying. Man, do you know how many people have lost their jobs in Shanghai this year? The current employment situation is really bad. Many people are still in the office in the morning, only to find their teams disbanded and laid off by the afternoon. The main reason is still poor economic conditions. I have a client who worked at a company for more than two years. Now, the boss has no money to pay his salary. He filed a complaint with the relevant department, but in the end, he only received 40% of his wages. Now he is forced to go home. Many people turn to food delivery temporarily after losing their jobs, including many former office white-collar workers. Man, I have a bachelor's degree. My last job was in an office, but after I quit, I started working as a food delivery driver. Blogger, you're the order king. How many hours do you work a day? Man, if everything goes smoothly, about 14 to 15 hours. If not, it can take 17 to 18 hours to complete more than 100 orders. But now, with China's economy deteriorating rapidly, even food delivery is becoming increasingly difficult. Man, if you haven't found a job yet, don't come to Shanghai. Find a job first, then come. Otherwise, you won't be the same person after coming here. If you can't find a job, you can try food delivery first. Now, just downstairs from our subway station, more than 20 food delivery drivers sit by the roadside at noon. No orders, no work. Last year, my friend did food delivery while transitioning between jobs, and he could still make 200 yuan a day. But judging by the current number of lunch orders, they can barely make 100 yuan a day. China's unemployment crisis is obvious. A female blogger predicts that most Chinese people won't financially survive until 2025. Woman, to be honest, many people may not want to hear this, but most of us probably won't make it to 2025. There's simply too little money circulating in the market. Large companies are laying off employees on a massive scale, and small businesses' capital chains have collapsed. Merchants' goods are piling up, unable to sell. Ordinary people struggle to find jobs, and incomes are shrinking. Money is becoming scarcer. Business is tough, and life is even tougher. Small businesses that are barely holding on are on the brink of collapse. Is this just a temporary setback or the new normal? Will we all survive? These concerns reflect the deep anxieties many people feel about the future. Although the CCP struggles to implement effective policies to address unemployment, it keeps coming up with misguided solutions. The people are suffering under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party. Recently, a video of a 77-year-old woman from Shandong complaining about her poor life and vowing that she would not come back in the next life went viral online. Many netizens on mainland social platforms commented that their lives were too hard, too tiring, and hopeless. Many netizens in the comment sections of overseas social media directly criticized that it was all caused by the evil of the Chinese Communist Party. 77-year-old woman. This life is too hard. I will not come back in the next life. According to the video on the internet, on January 23, an elderly woman in Shandong said that she made a living by picking up waste and earned three or five yuan a day. One of her children had been dead for more than 20 years, and the cause of death was still unknown. She felt that people's lives were too difficult and that there was no hope for their future. She would not come back in the next life. According to the video, the white-haired old woman was bent over and staggering as she pushed a bicycle full of waste. The elderly woman, who had endured a lifetime of hardships, said that she could not come back in the next life. Being human is worse than being a cow. What's the hope? I'll be poor all my life and I'll have nothing in my life. She said that she was 77 years old and survived by collecting waste. She only bought a pancake for lunch and could not afford other food. The elderly woman said that one of her two children had died in another place for unknown reasons 20 years ago, while the other child did hard labor and could not earn much money. She said, I have been poor all my life and no one suffers as much as I do. Life has no hope. If I can't leave, it's over. After saying that, the old woman wiped away her tears. No matter how good the world is in the next life, I won't come. Another video circulating online shows a migrant worker in Beijing delivering food late at night. With tears in his eyes, he lamented that he had accomplished nothing at the age of 40. I haven't made money. I don't have time to take care of my children. And I can't be filial to my parents at such an old age. It's past nine o'clock now and I still have to run around for a few tails of silver. I'm so tired. The man, his eyes filled with tears, said that he had completed all the tasks that should be completed in this life. No matter how good the world is in the next life, I won't come again. In a video posted on the Mainland Douyin platform on June 19th, 2024, a dusty middle-aged man squatted on the ground with a bowl of rice. With a pained expression, he said, I don't plan to live too long in this life. I will send away the people who raised me, raise the people I am responsible for, and then I can pack up. I won't come back in the next life. It's too painful. After saying these words, the man burst into tears. A large number of mainland netizens expressed their sympathy. Life is too difficult and tiring. The poor are helpless. The rich can't understand. We are all miserable people and we are oppressed too much. Some people were even more desperate. Don't talk about coming back in the next life. It's hard for me to even finish this one. This life has been so rough. I have never thought about the next life. Ex-netizens left messages one after another. The people under the rule of the CCP are so pitiful. The CCP doesn't believe in past lives or next lives. They just want to control you in this life. You are so unlucky to be born in mainland China. There are many people like this in the CCP's country, living in extreme poverty. The Chinese people have been squeezed dry by the CCP. Don't be a slave to the CCP in this life. Get rid of the CCP and the people will have hope. China's economy continues to decline, and the employment and living conditions of young people are alarming. Recently, it was reported online that many large companies in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, have been unable to pay wages for half a year, and even state-owned enterprises are laying off employees and cutting salaries. Many young vagrants sleep on the roadside and under bridges. There is a wave of crying about unemployment on mainland social media. Ex-account Wu Wangwudi released multiple videos on December 1, stating that in the last month of 2024, the eve of the fall of the Communist Party of China, the collapse of China's economy is unimaginable, and the people are suffering. Workers are exhausted and crying. The unemployed sleep on the streets. Young people scavenge for garbage. Iron rice bowl units are laying off employees, and civil servants are facing salary cuts. In addition, companies are running away. Shops are closing. Hospitals can't pay wages. Banks are unable to disperse money. People are protesting on rooftops. Teachers are breaking down. Students are jumping off buildings. Canteens are in chaos. Hospitals are full of pneumonia cases. And the streets are plagued with violence. According to the video, a young woman said that the current situation in Guangzhou might be unbelievable to those hearing it. Many large companies and certain groups haven't paid wages for half a year. Many companies, including state-owned enterprises, are laying off employees and cutting wages. And most small companies are on the verge of bankruptcy. Even the once-envied internet sector is laying off employees, with thousands of people dismissed at a time. I am one of them. Even highly educated talents from 985 and 211 universities cannot escape the fate of unemployment, let alone ordinary people like us, the woman said, frustrated. She noted that her classmates either faced staff reductions or wage cuts, and some even stopped receiving wages altogether, leading to more than half a year of unemployment. Many luxurious office buildings are also empty, with some closed down entirely. Those who moved out have moved out. Many people sit in Starbucks and McDonald's, pretending to work, as the future remains full of uncertainties. A video shows that under a bridge tunnel in Guangdong, many homeless young people are sleeping. There are also young people sleeping on the roadside with quilts. A young woman placed a small basin in front of her, seemingly begging for food. It is heartbreaking to watch. Another video shows that in the central area of Xi'an High-Tech Development Zone in Shanxi Province, there are almost no pedestrians on the streets, and nearly all the shops are closed. A woman sighed. This was once the most prosperous street, and almost every shop is now shut down. Iron locks hang on the doors one after another, with no trace of the past glory. It's terrifying. The street shown in another man's video also had most of its shops closed. He commented that opening a physical store this year is too difficult, especially a restaurant. The investment is in the hundreds of thousands or millions, and many plan to earn money to marry off their sons. In the current environment, it's a blessing if your wife doesn't leave you. There is a crying wave of unemployment on Chinese social media platforms. Radio Free Asia reported that on social platforms such as Douyin, Kuaishou, and Xiaohongshu in mainland China, many users shared their experiences. Some cried about the hardships of life, some complained about workplace injustice, and some expressed helplessness and anger. This year, there are 11.7 million college graduates in China. According to many people, the actual employment rate of college students this year is about 50%, which is lower than last year. Many companies have started laying off older employees. China's top technology companies, Alibaba and Tencent, carried out large-scale layoffs in 2024. Alibaba laid off 14,369 people in the first quarter and another 6,729 in the second quarter. The total number of layoffs since the beginning of the year has exceeded 20,000. Tencent has been laying off employees since 2022 and has reduced its workforce by about 10% by 2024. Kai Shenkun, a senior financial commentator, told Radio Free Asia that China's current unemployment problem has not yet reached its worst point. I think the unemployment problem will become more and more serious. Now, on platforms such as Douyin, Kuaishou, and Xiaohongshu, many people are crying and complaining. Of course, some are trying to gain traffic, but a large number of people are genuinely reflecting the current situation. This is a basic reflection of China's unemployment situation. Kai Shenkun believes that massive unemployment not only reflects the current plight of China's labor market, but also reveals society's concern and worry about unemployment. He said that now is not the time for the government to invest money to stimulate the economy and save enterprises. Enterprises are unwilling to invest now, and there are no better investment channels. How can private enterprises talk about development? China's aviation industry faces wage arrears and disguised layoffs. Employees struggle to make a living. Recently, China Xingfu Airlines has long been in arrears of wages, with pilots relying on food delivery to make a living attracting attention. Industry insiders revealed that the Sino-US trade war and three years of epidemic lockdowns have hit China's aviation industry hard, and the international route business has not improved so far. Recently, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced the expansion of the visa-free policy, but it has not been effective. Xi'an's local aviation company Xingfu Airlines was recently exposed for having long-term arrears in wages and social security, attracting public attention. The company's pilots revealed that their wages had been in arrears for three years, forcing many employees to make a living by delivering food, driving for Didi, or setting up stalls. One pilot said he has been delivering food for a year and a half. An Air China employee using the pseudonym Chen Fan revealed that the Sino-US trade war and three years of epidemic lockdowns hit China's aviation transportation industry hard. Even after easing epidemic prevention measures, international route business has yet to improve. The losses of China's three major airlines, Air China, China Eastern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines, are covered by the government. The fourth-largest airline, HNA, has laid off employees in disguise, forcing many to resign. Air China employee Chen Fan, pseudonym, no matter the size of the airline, all are in a loss-making state. Many airlines still cannot pay wages, but this has not been reported. Airline employees are having a very difficult time. They don't want to compensate for layoffs. Instead, they use particularly bad methods to find faults and exclude people, forcing them to leave voluntarily. Chen Fan also mentioned that the CCP spreads xenophobia and diverts attention to maintain regime stability. This year, many Japanese and Americans were attacked in China, including the unfortunate death of a 10-year-old Japanese boy in Shenzhen, which has made foreigners feel resentful. Although the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently announced an expansion of the visa-free policy, it has not been effective. Air China employee, pseudonym, international passenger transport is basically at about 12% of its level before the trade war and the epidemic. Visa exemptions have been relaxed for many countries, but no one is willing to come. This is because the trade war began, and the international community cannot accept what happened during the epidemic. They all think it is unreasonable. The mainland is quite scary. Mr. Hua, an employee of a Chinese airline, advised young people not to choose flight attendant majors. At the end of October this year, more than 5,000 people participated in interviews at the headquarters of China Eastern Airlines, but only around 300 were recruited, resulting in an extremely low admission rate. Mr. Hua, an employee of a Chinese airline, there are more than 500 colleges and universities across the country offering flight attendant majors, including aviation services, with more than 180,000 graduates each year. The problem is that the entire civil aviation system only needs at most 10,000 people annually, and about 7,000 people at least. Civil aviation has been losing so much money, who knows if it will collapse? In fact, all companies have tightened their manpower.