.

Read in Chinese

Speakers:

He Junke, convener of the ministerial-level joint meeting for implementation of the Medium- and Long-Term Youth Development Plan and first secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC)

Fu Zhenbang, director of the executive office of the ministerial-level joint meeting for implementation of the Medium- and Long-Term Youth Development Plan and secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the CYLC

Chairperson:

Xing Huina, deputy director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and SCIO spokesperson

Date:

April 21, 2022

Xing Huina:

Friends from the media, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). Today, the SCIO published a white paper titled "Youth of China in the New Era," and organized this press conference to introduce and interpret its main content.

The white paper fully implements Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, reviews Chinese youth's continuous struggle for national rejuvenation over the past 100 years under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and presents the efforts being made by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core for the development of young people since the 18th CPC National Congress. It introduces China's policies and measures to promote youth development and showcases the achievements in this regard and young people's spirit in the new era. The document also calls for young people around the world to join hands and build a community with a shared future for mankind, and contribute their wisdom and strength to create a better world.

At around 18,000 Chinese characters, the white paper consists of foreword, main body and conclusion. The main body is divided into four parts: "The New Era: Great Times with Ample Opportunities," "All-Round Development in the New Era," "Shouldering Heavy Tasks and Responsibilities" and "Having a Global Vision and a Strong Sense of Responsibility."

The white paper is published in eight languages — Chinese, English, French, Russian, German, Spanish, Arabic and Japanese — by the People's Publishing House and the Foreign Languages Press. It is available at Xinhua Bookstore outlets across the country.

To help you better understand the white paper, we have invited Mr. He Junke, convener of the ministerial-level joint meeting for implementation of the Medium- and Long-Term Youth Development Plan and first secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC), and Mr. Fu Zhenbang, director of the executive office of the ministerial-level joint meeting for implementation of the Medium- and Long-Term Youth Development Plan and secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the CYLC. They will brief you on relevant information and then take your questions.

Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. He Junke

He Junke:

Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the media, good morning.

It's my pleasure to be here and introduce to you the development of China's youth in the new era. First, on behalf of the ministerial-level joint meeting for implementation of the Medium- and Long-Term Youth Development Plan and the CYLC Central Committee, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to friends from all sectors for your long-term interest in and support for the development of China's youth.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has been attaching great importance to young people, caring deeply about them, fully trusting them, and making tremendous efforts for their development. This has enabled China to make all-round progress and secure historic achievements in its youth development. In general, the overall development of Chinese youth has outperformed the country's economic and social growth, with multiple core indicators reaching the average level of middle- and high-income countries. In order to showcase the vigorous image of young Chinese people in the new era and comprehensively present China's policy position on youth, the ministerial-level joint meeting compiled and completed this white paper under the support of the meeting's member institutions such as the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

The white paper is the first of its kind since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 focusing on youth development. Based on a statistical and monitoring system for youth development initiated by the National Bureau of Statistics, we have given full play to experts and think tanks involved in the Medium- and Long-Term Youth Development Plan. We also pooled research resources on youth development from statistical reports, yearbooks and blue papers as well as agencies affiliated with the CYLC. As a result, the white paper objectively presents China's remarkable achievements in youth development since the 18th CPC National Congress and provides a group portrait of China's youth in the new era.

In terms of the environment for their growth, China's youth in the new era, living in the best times in Chinese history, enjoys better conditions for development, more opportunities to fulfill potential, more all-around protection and support, and a broader space to grow. They are embracing wonderful opportunities to secure a good career. As for their development and achievements, they are firmer in ideals and convictions with better physical and mental health, stronger intellectual foundations, and active participation in social activities. They sharpen skills through hard work and temper their abilities in adversity, displaying their ability to shoulder the responsibility of national rejuvenation. As for their sense of responsibility and accomplishments, they work hard and are dedicated in their work posts, lead the charge in difficult situations and emergencies, temper themselves through community service, take the lead in innovation and entrepreneurship, or spearhead cultural and ethical progress, showing their vibrancy with no fear of difficulties and hardships. Regarding their concern for the rest of humanity, they have more ways for external cooperation, and their "circle of friends" with whom they can communicate and cooperate continues to grow. They build consensus among youth through heart-to-heart communication and dialogue, work hand in hand on the journey towards a brighter future, embrace the world with greater openness and confidence, and show their broad vision to build a global community of shared future. The Chinese youth's spirit of vigor, confidence, and progress fully proves that it is completely correct for the Chinese government to uphold the Marxist view on youth, the principle that the Party exercises leadership over youth, and the concept of giving priority to youth development. The leadership of the Communist Party of China and the socialist system are the fundamental reasons for China's historic achievements in youth development and also the fundamental basis for its further development.

As the principal challenge facing Chinese society in the new era has changed profoundly, and the world is witnessing profound changes unseen in a century, we are also aware that many new situations and challenges are emerging in the country's youth development. People from all walks of life and groups are faced with many pressing difficulties and problems that need to be resolved, demanding care, understanding and collaborative support from all sectors of society. We will bear in mind the current realities of China's development and the fundamental dimension of the country's national context as well as the overall and long-term interests of the Chinese nation, fully recognize the crucial strategic role of youth, and continue to increase policy support in all fields so that young people can unleash more talents and contribute more to the great cause of national rejuvenation.

In just over 10 days, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Youth League. As an advanced youth organization under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the league has always taken serving youth development as one of its important duties. We will fully implement Xi Jinping's important thinking on youth work, respond to the voices and demands of the youth in a timely manner, step up efforts to strengthen policy and social advocacy, give full play to our role as a bridge and bond connecting young people and serving them, coordinate the implementation of the Middle- and Long-term Youth Development Plan to realize greater achievements, and take concrete actions to set the stage for the Party's 20th National Congress.

That's all for my introduction. Thank you!

Xing Huina:

Thank you for your introduction, Mr. He. Now the floor is open for questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before asking questions. 

China Media Group:

We note that the Middle- and Long-term Youth Development Plan (2016-2025), the first plan directed toward young people in the history of China, is repeatedly mentioned in the white paper. Mr. He, over the past five years since it was introduced, what have we done to serve youth development and promote the implementation of this plan? Thank you.

He Junke:

Thank you. I will take the question. The Middle- and Long-term Youth Development Plan (2016-2025) was enacted under General Secretary Xi Jinping's personal direction, commitment, and concern. The plan is new for us. In China, policies related to youth development were scattered among various ministries and departments in the past. It is the first time for us to integrate them together and consider their coordination and cohesion. It has been five years since the plan was enacted. We have made great progress in the past five years under the concern of various sectors. The progress mainly includes the following aspects:

First, institutional systems to support youth development have been continuously improved. These systems include seventeen or eighteen laws directly related to youth development guided by the spirit of the Constitution. Some of them have been revised over the years, which have fully considered the current situation of the development of times and the youth and built a basic legal support system. In addition, the planning system framework involving youth development has been fully established. The State Council issued the Middle- and Long-term Youth Development Plan (2016-2025), and all provinces issued their provincial youth development plans. Some prefecture-level cities, counties, and districts also revealed their youth development plans. In terms of institutional and policy systems, some requirements of youth development have been included in the 13th and 14th Five-Year Plans for National Economic and Social Development, in which special chapters and sections have contributed to the requirements, with the needs of youth development addressed. In addition, various ministries and commissions have formulated many specific policies in their work field and within the scope of their specialties. According to our rough statistics, various central government departments have issued more than 80 specific policies to support youth development in recent five years. Thus, a complete institutional system has been established within the scope of institutional systems. 

Second, a coordination mechanism for promoting youth development has been established. I am the convener of the inter-departmental joint meeting mechanism for implementing the middle- and long-term youth development plan at the national level. There are 51 ministries and commissions participating in the mechanism, one of our country's most extensive coordination mechanisms. Seventeen departments are regularly involved in the work of the mechanism, and the other 30 odd departments often take concerted actions. Such coordination mechanisms have also been established at the provincial, city, and county levels. In addition, Party and government leaders in the region serve as conveners, and relevant departments participate.

Third, substantive progress has been made in addressing pressing difficulties and problems that are of the greatest concern to young people. This is the most fundamental foothold. In recent years, all localities have revealed many specific policies in light of local conditions to address such issues in the fields of education, employment, entrepreneurship, marriage and fertility, support for the elderly, and housing. Take housing as an example. Young people face many difficulties in housing in big cities. Many provinces have made some explorations in this regard. For example, Guangdong Province implemented a youth settlement program in 2020 and has made constant efforts, which have helped more than 7,000 college graduates settle down in public rental housing units. Not long ago, Beijing turned more than 600 departments into public rental housing units available for fresh graduates for the first time. These are important explorations and have also satisfied real needs. 

The Central Committee of the CYLC has also played the role of a bridge that links the Party with the youth very well in these respects. More than a decade ago, we began to establish a face-to-face communication mechanism between the Communist Youth League members and the deputies to the People's Congress, and members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference to propose some prominent problems in youth development in an orderly manner, and via these two channels let young people' voice be heard and carry out policy advocacy.

Fourth, in recent years, we have focused on exploring more effective ways to promote the implementation of the plans and made great efforts to integrate fragmented policies to promote youth development. For example, two years ago, we launched pilot programs in more than 400 districts and counties across China and gained a lot of inspiration. In the past more than one year, more than 90 cities across the country have explored ways of building youth-development-friendly cities conducive to young people's growth and progress. We will continue our efforts in this regard. 

Generally, thanks to our efforts over the past five years, a preliminary policy system and working mechanism for youth development with Chinese characteristics has taken shape, which we set out five years ago. But, of course, this is a long-term task. So, we will continue to take advice from all sectors and improve our work. So that's my answer, thank you. 

Youth Daily:

The white paper points out that Chinese youth live during great times with ample opportunities in the new era. They are of the highest caliber and have the opportunity to achieve all-round development. Can you introduce important achievements regarding youth development since the Party's 18th National Congress in 2012? Thank you.

He Junke:

The white paper titled "Youth of China in the New Era" mainly depicts the conditions of the contemporary youth and achievements in youth development since the Party's 18th National Congress in 2012, when socialism with Chinese characteristics entered a new era. With the cordial care of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the support of the Party and the government, China's youth development scored historical achievements since the Party's 18th National Congress in 2012, mainly in the following aspects.

First, material conditions underpinning youth development have improved markedly. China's GDP exceeded 110 trillion yuan in 2021. With rapid development as a foundation, China can provide more material support for youth development. Each year, the country's expenditures in R&D and education total more than 2 trillion yuan and 4 trillion yuan, respectively. In addition, China spends more than 200 billion yuan annually on financial aid for students of all educational stages from poor families. These conditions are the most important material foundation for youth development, which is a huge achievement. 

Second, contemporary youths enjoy colorful intellectual and cultural life. Traditional public cultural facilities such as museums and cultural centers have rapidly developed. According to a document I saw, a museum is built every two days on average, and this speed and intensity of investment are great. Cultural industries such as movies, television and artistic performance, and emerging cultural sectors such as the digital creative industry, online audio and visual, digital publishing, and online performance and broadcasting have developed fast. Young people can watch whatever they want to watch. Furthermore, the transportation and information industries are advanced, especially transportation. As the saying goes, "read thousands of books; travel thousands of miles." The youth now have the opportunities to travel everywhere conveniently and go wherever they want. The internet has been an integrated part of the youth's lives. Compared with historical records, the internet accessibility of the youth aged between 20 to 29 is almost 100%, while the number was 68% a decade ago, according to the statistics I saw. Ten years ago, the gap in internet accessibility between cities and rural areas were still obvious, but now the gap has almost been eliminated, with nearly 100% internet accessibility. These provide favorable conditions to enrich young people's intellectual and cultural life. 

Third, youth health conditions have been improved, especially the changes in their bodies, as we have basically solved the problem of malnutrition in the youth. In terms of body shapes, the youth are taller and stronger. For young people aged between 20 and 24, men are 1.6 centimeters higher and four to five kilograms heavier on average than those of 10 years ago. Young women are 1.5 centimeters higher and two to three kilograms heavier on average. Generally, young people have grown taller and stronger within standard heights and weights. Besides, we have noted problems such as a high incidence of near sight in youth, and the authorities have been taking responsive measures. We have also noticed that some young people face pressures from work, study and life, and their psychological health has caught great public attention. But generally, according to our surveys, most young people are psychologically healthy. Some of them have grown more resilient after experiencing setbacks. All these show that the youth are better physically and mentally fit. 

Fourth, young people have received a higher and better education. The new additions to the workforce of 2020, which were mainly young people, had an average education of 13.8 years, equivalent to the first or second year of college. The gross enrollment rate in higher education was 57.8% in 2021, more than double the 26.9% rate in 2011. That means higher education has started to become universal in China. Compared with previous records, young people have received the highest and best education in history.

Fifth, employment opportunities for youth have become more sufficient and diversified. Notably, a great number of rural youth have to the opportunity to give full play to their talents and competencies at a higher industrial level through horizontal and vertical mobility. The number of migrant workers reaches nearly 170 million, most of who are young people. They will have opportunities to leap forward to a higher industrial level. It has been uneasy to solve this kind of employment problem on such a large scale. We have also noticed that as China's economy keeps developing – especially in the tertiary industry – the employment structures and career options have greatly upgraded and expanded for youth. The job category has become more diversified compared with the past. "Slash youth" we have spoken about are defined as young people with multiple titles, jobs, and ways of working and living. All these have led to the greater range of opportunities and choices available to young people.

Regarding the employment of college graduates, our country has always attached great significance to this issue over recent years. This year, the number of graduates of China could surpass 10 million, which is good news for our country as we continue to have many well-educated students joining the workforce every year. It's most welcome news. Of course, there are many difficulties when they seek jobs. However, that's an issue for another field. Thanks to the concerted efforts from various parties, the first-time employment rate of China's graduates has stayed above 77%in past years and then reached over 90 percent by year end, underpinning a fairly good employment in China.

Therefore, generally speaking, since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, youth development in China has achieved great progress. All of these achievements are ultimately attributed to the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and demonstrate the advantages of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Phoenix TV:

The white paper has published the percentage of young permanent urban residents, which for the first time is much higher than that of the overall permanent urban residents. The government has also issued the Opinions on Launching the Pilot Program of Youth Development-Oriented Cities. I would like to know what are the major concerns in building such cities? What kinds of measures will be taken in the future? Thank you.

He Junke:

Thank you. Mr. Fu will answer your questions.

Fu Zhenbang:

The youth are attracted to cities, and the cities thrive thanks to the youth. In 2020, young permanent urban residents accounted for 71.1 percent of the total young population in the country. This percentage will keep growing in the future. In the course of China's rapid urbanization, youth are beneficiaries and contributors, and the core driving force. The building of youth development-oriented cities is an important approach to earnestly promoting the people-centered urbanization strategy, as well as a key leverage to vigorously accelerate the implementation of the Middle- and Long-term Youth Development Plan (2016-2025). It is helpful for enhancing the mutual reinforcement between high-quality development of youth and that of cities. We have the following concerns in carrying out this project:

First, it is a requirement for cities to ground efforts in the new development stage, implement the new development philosophy, and build new development patterns. The overall development of youth is an important component of high-quality economic and social development of cities, as well as an important driving force for building cities' new development patterns. As the population size and structure of youth have both undergone historical changes in China, youth as the key factor in promoting the development of cities have become more valuable. Advocating and practicing the concept of giving top priority to youth development will promote their roles in urban development and further stimulate the vitality of cities.

Second, this is an inevitable choice to adapt to the strategic trend of new urbanization and promote youth development. China's urban development has shifted from high-speed development to high-quality development. Over the past decades, great achievements have been made in China's urban development, but problems have also accumulated. Cities are the place where the youth are most concentrated and also where the pressure and contradictions of youth development congregate. Some cities face prominent problems where youth find it hard to secure employment, housing, and living. It is fair to say that without the high-quality development of young people, there would be no high-quality development of cities.

Third, this is a summary and improvement of some cities' pioneering exploration. During the implementation of the Middle- and Long-term Youth Development Plan (2016-2025) in recent years, more than 90 cities, including Shenzhen, Chengdu, Jinan, Ningbo, Suzhou, and Luoyang, have proposed to build themselves into youth-development-friendly cities and promoted relevant work. Shandong, Guizhou, Zhejiang, and other provinces have proposed to build themselves into youth-development-friendly provinces. These local explorations and practices have laid a foundation for us to deploy this work at the national level.  

Fourth, this draws on international urban development experience. In recent years, some Western countries have promoted urban progress from the perspective of youth development and paid more attention to promoting peace and contentment in work and life for youth by making efforts in such areas as laws and regulations, development strategies, and public policies. Some countries have designed, promoted, and boosted the youth development indicator system from the perspective of urban attractiveness and public facilities supply. All these practices are useful for us to learn from to do relevant work well.

On April 1, 17 ministries and commissions, including the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Central Committee of the CYLC, jointly issued the "Opinions on the Pilot Construction of Youth-Development-Friendly Cities." The opinions clearly put forward the urban development philosophy of making cities more friendly to youth and enabling youth to make more achievements in cities. It champions giving priority to youth development and correctly understanding and guiding the dialectical relationship between youth development and urban development. The opinions have also made arrangements for the guiding ideology, basic principles, main contents, and work requirements of building youth-development-friendly cities.  

To make cities promote high-quality youth development, the opinions proposed that efforts should be redoubled to optimize the seven aspects: a planning environment prioritizing youth development; a fair and quality education environment; an employment environment inspiring youth to harness their talents; a residential environment ensuring youth's basic housing needs; a living environment alleviating the difficulties faced by youth in relationship, marriage, childbirth, and upbringing; a healthy environment promoting the youth's physical and mental development; and a safe environment effectively safeguarding the youth's rights and interests. In a nutshell, these efforts aim at ensuring that young people's rights to education, life, subsistence, labor, habitation, and other rights and interests are fully secured and that cities can provide better space, platforms, environment, and conditions for young people to grow, excel, and succeed.  

To make the youth contribute to the high-quality development of cities, the opinions proposed to mobilize the youth in leading cities' civility and morals, participating in innovation and entrepreneurship, making contributions to their positions, partaking in social governance in an orderly manner, and helping improve the citizens' quality of life. In other words, these proposals were designed to let the youth be the main part and masters of urban development so that they can contribute to the high-quality material, political, cultural, social, and eco-environmental progress in cities.

As we can see, the opinions have attracted wide attention and triggered heated discussion in society after its release. Many cities are actively applying for relevant pilot projects. These cities are wise and far-sighted since winning the hearts of youth means securing success both in the present and in the future. In pursuing this work, we do not apply a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we fully respect the realities at the community level and take the approach of conducting pilot programs before launching nationwide measures. We also welcome cities that have not taken part in the pilot projects to voluntarily engage in. We hope that after two years of implementing pilot programs, dozens of cities can be identified for pioneering exploration and give rise to a set of practices that can be replicated to facilitate young people's work, study, settling down, living, and child-raising. In this way, we hope to help solve the pressing difficulties and problems that are of the greatest concern to young people, give better play to their abilities in innovation and creativity, and promote high-quality urban development.  

We recognize that the work needs long-term efforts, so care and support and opinions and suggestions from all sectors of society, including friends from the media, are welcomed and appreciated. We also hope that Party committees and governments at all levels will attach significance to building youth-development-friendly cities by adding more efforts to their organizing work and guidance to make our cities more suitable for the youth to live and work. Furthermore, we believe that the phased-in implementation of the Opinion and the practical exploration of pilot cities, starting with individual practices that are expected to be applied in a larger scope, will surely promote the effective and in-depth implementation of the medium and long-term plan for youth development. Backed by such efforts, we will be able to continue to increase the sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security of the youth in the development of cities, reflect the Party's institutional strength of its youth work in the effective policies and deliver the care and support of the Party to the youth. Meanwhile, we will pursue a new way for high-quality city development in the new development stage. That's my answer. Thank you.

Southern Metropolis Daily:

Generation Z are internet-savvy, willing to express themselves and take the lead on various internet platforms. So what should Chinese young people do in the face of choosing between "lying flat" (a term to describe the youngsters who give up ambitions and do the bare minimum to get by) and "involution" (one buzzword that indicates irrational or involuntary competition)? What does the CYLC suggest? Thank you.

He Junke:

I'll take this question. In recent years, we often see a variety of buzzwords from the media, such as "lying flat" and "Buddha-like." We have attached much attention to them, as the focus of the CYLC's job is to serve the young people. We have carried out many surveys and research, and now I would like to share what we have achieved with you.

First, we observed that only a very few young people chose to "lie flat," instead, a majority of young people are working hard. In recent years, we have carried out a number of surveys and research on the spiritual pursuit of modern young people. We noticed they believe that success depends mainly on personal efforts, which remains the mainstream belief among modern youth. Most of them are optimistic about their future. Based on these surveys and research, we believe that terms such as "lying flat" and "Buddha-like" are often used for relieving stress and regulating emotions.

Second, our country has emphasized addressing underlying problems behind the "lying flat" and "Buddha-like" mindset. Although most young people will not choose to "lie flat" or live with a "Buddha-like" mindset, they are facing great and realistic pressures from work, study, and life, in China's unique population structure and heated population competition environment. Faced with major life choices, young people often become confused, lose their sense of direction or else feel powerless. Similar cases also existed in the old days. Therefore, in recent years, our country has intensified its policy efforts to address difficulties in youth education, employment, marriage, and love, as well as child nurturing, in a bid to help young people to solve urgent and difficult issues.

Third, we wish the whole of society could care more about mental health among youth. A small number of young people are locked in cocoons after dwelling on negative emotions for a long time. Due to various reasons, they lack a fighting spirit and have little sense of responsibility for their families and society. Some are unrealistic and dream about easy success. We need to build a sound social environment to influence them in a positive way. Happiness is achieved through hard work, while hard work itself is a form of happiness. This motto from General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered to Chinese youth is something we should all do our best to understand. 

CRNTT:

Youth volunteers made significant contributions to the successful hosting of a splendid, exceptional, and extraordinary Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and the phrase of "Youth of China in the New Era" appears many times in this white paper. What are the distinctive characteristics of China's youth in the new era? Thank you.

He Junke:

I will take this question. About 20,000 volunteers served the Beijing 2022, showcasing quite a fine image of the Chinese youth. Volunteers serving in competition venues remained there and worked really hard for two to three months with a strong sense of devotion and sacrifice. Their outstanding performance has won applause from the International Olympic Committee and the entire society. These volunteers epitomize the youth of China. People tend to be judgmental towards younger generations. We used to doubt whether the youth born in the 1980s, the 1990s, or the 2000s could shoulder the heavy tasks of the times. Lots of observations and practices have echoed what General Secretary Xi Jinping said about the vigorous youth: they are the most vibrant and the most creative group of society.

The youth of China today impress me in the following aspects: First, they are firmer in ideals. We are often touched by their love for the leader of the Party, their confidence, belief, and trust in the Party and the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, as well as their full assurance in the future of the country's development. Both domestic and foreign surveys show that 80-90% of Chinese people, including the youth, have confidence and trust in their country and government, a ratio that remains the highest among all countries. The youth don't just say it but firmly put it into practice. Among the excellent examples of the youth we award, some are college graduates turned village officials, some are innovators and pioneers in the field of science and technology, and some are hard-working young people dedicated to ordinary jobs, all demonstrating the lofty value of pursuit.

Second, they have stronger intellectual foundations. In 2021, the gross enrollment rate in higher education reached 57.8%, which means that a majority of youth have the opportunity to receive higher education. We also notice that a large number of young people find ways to add to their knowledge base after work: Some seek continuing on-campus education for adults, while others pursue on-the-job postgraduate education, trying to keep up with the pace of knowledge renewal to enrich their thoughts. They are much more creative and are bursting with innovative ideas. Many young people have shouldered important responsibilities in implementing the country's major programs. In some emerging areas defined by innovation, such as the information technology service, cultural and sports entertainment, and sci-tech application services, more than half of the workforce is young people, exemplifying the innovative spirit and intellectual foundation of the youth.

Third, they are confident and optimistic. Frustrations and pressures surely make them dismayed or confused for a short time, yet overcoming all the difficulties only leaves them even more resilient, more candid, more self-assured, and more socially adaptive.

A questionnaire we launched on the emotions of China's young people showed that more than 80% of the respondents believed that they were capable of managing their emotions, which is very gratifying.

Fourth, they are very responsible. People used to think the youth of the 1990s and the 2000s lived an easy life and may not be able to take on heavy tasks. However, the major tests posed by the poverty alleviation campaign, COVID-19 response, as well as flood relief testified that they are responsible enough. In daily life, many youth who work hard at their posts, be it border guards, ordinary laborers, deliverymen, or ride-hailing drivers, are fulfilling their responsibilities to families and society through solid and industrious efforts.

Our work involves a fairly large number of volunteers. For 18 consecutive years, we organized volunteers to support education in remote and underdeveloped regions through the Go West program, engaging more than 400,000 virtuous, capable youth. Such experiences enabled them to develop in an all-around way. We have established a national database for youth volunteers, and so far, over 90 million are in the pool. Each year, many volunteers provide services to society through very good performance. As we have mentioned, most of the volunteers systematically mobilized to serve national games or exhibitions are college students who demonstrate a very good image of the youth.

Fifth, they have a broader vision. Nowadays, the post-figurative, co-figurative, and pre-figurative culture has become a topic. The youth today know much more than their elders. Every year, hundreds of thousands of youth study abroad, which might affected slightly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And we also see roughly the same number of overseas returnees start their careers in China. Also, the youth get to know the world better and develop a broader vision through surfing the internet and making acquaintances with some of the hundreds of thousands of foreigners studying in China. They can value the relations between China and the world in a more objective and comprehensive way. To sum it up, we need to carefully protect and respect the youth of the new era and tap into their full potential. Thank you.

Jiemian.com:

A record 10.76 million new graduates are expected to enter the job market this year, adding to the challenges the market is already facing due to COVID-19. What support measures are there to solve the employment difficulties of young people? Thank you.

Fu Zhenbang:

Employment is the cornerstone of youth well-being and development. The Party and the State have been attaching great importance to employment and strengthening the implementation of the employment-first policy. Different departments, including the Ministry of Finance, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, have made concerted efforts to take various measures to promote the full employment of young people. Based on its own responsibilities, the CYLC has also done its best to promote youth employment. Faced with great employment pressure this year, China has increased finance input and policy support. The authorities have made great efforts in easing the difficulties of businesses, keeping the operations of market entities stable, and stabilizing employment. Great efforts have also been made in expanding the implementation of programs such as "San Zhi Yi Fu" and "Xibu Jihua" (through which graduates take community-level posts in education, agriculture, health care and poverty relief in the rural area and in western China) to continuously increase employment opportunities in the public sector. Much effort has been made in the introduction of special projects for the promotion of employment of college graduates, including the introduction of public employment services to campuses and visits of Party secretaries and presidents of colleges and universities to enterprises to expand job opportunities and bolster employment, to further improve the youth employment service system. Guided by the core principle of serving the youth and making full use of our organizational strength, the CYLC gives priority to the following four areas of work.

First, we guide young people to establish a positive outlook on employment, career choice, and how to strive for goals. More than a year ago, we published a book about interactions between Xi Jinping and college students . Recently, China Youth Daily serialized the stories from the 26th to 50th issue of the book, telling many vivid stories about choices of life paths and careers, offering valuable experiences for our contemporary college students to learn from.

Second, we have strengthened our work on ensuring employment for key youth groups. Since the end of last year, we have promoted the employment of college students, with a focus on providing targeted assistance and support for students from low-income households in non-key colleges and universities. This year, we have organized and mobilized league cadres at all levels, especially cadres of the youth league committee in colleges and universities, to offer one-on-one assistance to 72,000 such students. We do this by finding out about their basic situation before providing employment guidance and job matching. So far, we have found jobs for 25,000 disadvantaged students. We strive to provide targeted assistance and support for more than 50,000 students from low-income households in non-key colleges and universities this year.

Third, we promote youth entrepreneurship to boost employment. The CYLC has initiated a program for promoting youth entrepreneurship in China since 1998. This year, with mass entrepreneurship and innovation as the backdrop, we have further deepened the promotion of youth entrepreneurship and driven more youth employment through youth entrepreneurship. We encourage young people to start their own businesses, and place special focus on supporting college students' entrepreneurship, young people returning to their hometowns to start their own businesses, and technology-based entrepreneurship.

Fourth, we safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of youth in employment. On one hand, we cooperate with the authorities to strengthen policy advocacy, actively promoting the protection of employment and labor rights and interests of people working in new business forms and occupations. On the other hand, we pay special attention to the unfair treatment and infringement on rights and interests that college graduates may encounter during job hunting and provide necessary legal aid to support and guide graduates to consciously and effectively protect their rights and interests in employment.

We believe that, with the attention and support of the government and the care and support of the society, the Chinese youth in the new era will strive on their own, have their talents fulfilled, and create a fabulous life through hard work and wisdom. Their young lives will shine brilliantly as they participate in the great efforts of building a modern socialist country in all respects and realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Thank you.

Xing Huina:

Due to time constraints, we will have one last question.

People.cn:

The white paper specifically refers to the International Youth Sustainable Development Index Report. As far as I know, this is the first time China has released such a report on the international index ranking of youth development. What's the original intention of conducting this research? How will this research promote youth development in China? Thank you.

He Junke:

Thank you. I will answer your question. The Middle- and Long-term Youth Development Plan (2016-2025) lists 10 key areas of youth development. These key areas concerning youth development are similar in other countries, including employment, education, social participation, etc. How do we measure youth development among countries with simplicity? Drawing on the design of the Human Development Index by the United Nations Development Program, we integrated the relevant data into a concise indicator system to evaluate youth development and related policy impact in various countries. We have also noticed that organizations such as the Commonwealth Secretariat, the European Youth Forum and the Social Progress Imperative have conducted similar studies based on their own positions and information.

The main purpose of our research was to conduct an in-depth analysis of the institutional and policy factors behind the different levels of youth development in different countries and also to better learn from the good practices of other countries in the formulation of youth development policies. Since February last year, a joint project group comprising China Youth and Children Research Center, China International Youth Exchange Center, the Center for Youth Moral Education, Tsinghua University, and the Research Center for Contemporary China at Peking University has been conducting in-depth research on this issue, and the research findings were presented in the International Youth Sustainable Development Index Report 2021, which was released last year. After its release, the report has attracted some attention in various fields and has received relatively positive feedback. This is the first international comparative study of youth development published by China. In terms of research methodology, by focusing on the key areas of youth development, the research selected five primary indicators and 17 secondary indicators, involving five domains of health and living, education and culture, employment and entrepreneurship, family and society, and social participation. The data we used was publicly available and comparable worldwide. In this way, the study finally picked 85 countries for objective, fair, and balanced data processing and evaluation.

China ranks 23rd, around the top 27%, of the 85 countries, higher than its positions in per capita GDP and Human Development Index rankings, which are 34% and 45%, respectively. This shows that the level of youth development in our country is ahead of the overall level of economic and social development, which also reflects the achievement China has made by prioritizing youth development. The excess is actually due to the superiority of the Chinese system and the correctness of the philosophy of youth development. Admittedly, we have also seen that there are still gaps in the rankings in some indicators. For example, in the education and culture domain, China ranks around the top 40%, which is relatively low. This prompts us to continue to improve the availability and quality of education for young people. As for youth health, although China ranks relatively high, around the top 15%, there are still many issues such as strength and myopia. And we also need to promote social public service among our young people.

In general, we will continue to learn from the valuable experiences of other countries in the world, based on the reality of our country, guided by the youth development index, to make China's youth policy more effective. Thank you.

Xing Huina:

Thank you to all speakers and friends from the media. Today's briefing is hereby concluded. See you!

Translated and edited by Yang Xi, Liu Sitong, Xu Xiaoxuan, Zhang Rui, Zhou Jing, Wang Yanfang, Li Huiru, Chen Xia, Liu Jianing, He Shan, Qin Qi, Wang Qian, Wang Yiming, Zhu Bochen, Duan Yaying, Xu Kailin, David Ball, Jay Birbeck, and Tom Arnstein. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.