The unemployment rate for 16 to 24-year-olds in Chinese cities hit a record high of 21.3% in June. There are no figures since then, because the government decided to stop announcing them. With white-collar jobs hard to come by, more and more young graduates are taking jobs as street vendors. They share their experiences on Douyin, the version of Tiktok inside China, along with hashtags like #MarketStallEntrepreneurship.
We spoke to one young graduate in digital arts. We're calling him "Luo" because he doesn't want to be identified. Luo, like so many other graduates, is working at a night market.
Given that I studied digital art, the fact that I'm working by selling my own paintings isn't the worst thing in the world.
Of course I'm worried about the unemployment rate. It stresses me out. But at least I've found a way to develop my skills to make me a stronger candidate on the job market.
The only way I'll get through this is by adapting to the current reality.
