China's Youth Won't Eat Xi's Bitterness

China has overestimated its economy's capacity to create white-collar jobs, leading to a doubling of the urban unemployment rate for 16 to 24-year-olds, reaching a record high of 21.3% in the past four years, The Week magazine reported.

Xi has advised the youth to "eat bitterness," a Chinese expression that essentially means enduring hardship and lowering one's expectations.

This year, a record-breaking 11.6 million students graduated from college during the summer, entering an economy that faces a severe shortage of high-paying white-collar jobs.

Most private and public companies in China have halted hiring, undermining Chinese President Xi Jinping's promise to achieve full youth employment and ensure a "bright and beautiful" future for them.

Instead, Xi has advised the youth to "eat bitterness," a Chinese expression that essentially means enduring hardship and lowering one's expectations.

This represents a significant setback for a generation raised with the belief that hard work would lead to success. Media reports frequently highlight disillusioned youth who are choosing to "lie flat" or opt out of the rat race.

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