High prospects for Chinese youth in the new era

In the backdrop of improved physical and moral qualities and all-round ability, China’s youth are growing into a new generation that is capable of shouldering the responsibility of national rejuvenation.

According to a white paper released recently by the government titled, “Youth of China in the New Era”, the youth in China is the most active and vital force in society, and offer the best hope of the country’s future.

The enlightenment of its youth lit a beacon of hope for the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Around the May 4 Movement in 1919, a large number of aspiring and progressive young intellectuals assumed the lead in accepting new ideas, new culture, and new knowledge.

In July 1921, 13 delegates, of an average age of only 28, participated in the first National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and announced the founding of the Party, an epoch-making event that sounded the clarion call for the awakening and rise of the nation. This marked the beginning of a new era of national rejuvenation for China. Under the CPC’s leadership, the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC) was established in 1922, opening a new chapter of the Chinese youth movement.

The CYLC has over 73.7 million members nationwide as of December 31, 2021, according to statistics released by the CYLC Central Committee. Some 43.81 million of its members are students, while the remainder are from enterprises, public institutions, urban and rural communities, social organizations and other fields.

Young Chinese people in the new era are confident, aspirant and responsible. They wholeheartedly support the leadership of the Party. In his speech during CPC centenary on July 1, 2021, Chinese President Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, emphasised that “In the new era, our young people should make it their mission to contribute to national rejuvenation and aspire to become more proud, confident, and assured in their identity as Chinese people, so that they can live up to the promise of their youth and the expectations of our times, our Party and our people.”

Noting that the country stood at a new historical starting point and embarked on a new journey in achieving the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, Xi aid that looking ahead to the new era the youth are embracing precious opportunities to realise their ambitions and display their talents, as they shoulder the important responsibility of building a great modern socialist country and realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

Noting that the Beijing Olympic Winter Games has boosted young people’s enthusiasm for winter sports in China, the white paper said youth aged 18-30 are the main force in winter sports, with the participation rate reaching 37.3 percent, the highest among all age groups.

At the end of 2020, the number of netizens aged 6-18 reached 180 million in China, with the internet available to 94.9 percent of minors, and the gap in internet accessibility between urban and rural areas narrowed to 0.3 percentage points from 5.4 in 2018. As a generation born in an era with booming internet technology, more and more young people are using the internet to access information, exchange ideas, make friends and shop, according to the paper.

In 2021, the completion rate of compulsory education in China reached 95.4 percent, the gross enrollment rate in senior secondary education, 91.4 percent, and the gross enrollment rate in higher education, 57.8 percent, with 44.3 million students on campus, ranking first in the world, said the paper.

In pursuing a life of high quality, young people are changing their consumption habits from consuming mass products and services to customized ones. They are changing from buying to meet their basic needs to buying to enjoy life, from having clothing to wear to dressing fashionably, from having food to eat to eating well for good health, and from taking affordable transportation to choosing fast and comfortable vehicles. Their standard of living has seen qualitative changes and their prospects for development are supported by a solid material foundation.

The future of the world is related to the destiny of every young person, and it also depends on the efforts that every young person makes. If young people from all countries unite for the common goal, uphold justice, work in harmony, help each other, conduct consultation as equals, and commit to openness and innovation, we will be able to steer clear of strife and war, build a “global village” that pursues peaceful development and harmony, jointly create a future of prosperity, health, safety, mutual respect, mutual learning, and shared benefits, and ultimately realize the common dream of all of humanity.