China Resumes Youth Unemployment Reporting with Revised Methodology
December's youth unemployment rate stands at 14.9%, a significant drop from June 2023's 21.3%, following a new calculation method that excludes students.
- China has resumed reporting its youth unemployment rate, which stands at 14.9% for December, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. This figure excludes students and is a significant drop from the 21.3% reported in June 2023.
- The new methodology separates young people looking for part-time jobs while in school from those looking for full-time jobs after graduation, aiming to provide a more accurate depiction of youth unemployment.
- China has also started tracking jobless rates specifically among 25- to 29-year-olds, distinguishing them from the broader 25- to 59-year-old demographic. The unemployment rate for this group was 6.1% in December.
- Despite the reported improvement, many young Chinese continue to face challenges in securing employment due to the overall sluggishness of the economy.
- An increasing number of new undergraduate degree holders are choosing to continue their academic studies, with as many as 70% from top universities doing so in 2023.
South China Morning Post 
NDTV 
Associated Press 
CNBC 
