As China grapples with an economic downturn, a surge of unemployment stories has surfaced across social media platforms in the country.
Many Chinese netizens — especially young professionals — have turned to popular networks like Douyin (China’s version of TikTok), Xiaohongshu, and Kuaishou to express the overwhelming hardships that come with joblessness. From financial anxieties to the emotional toll of sudden layoffs, these posts reflect a national atmosphere of despair and uncertainty.
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A video that went viral on Douyin features a woman in her 30s tearfully recounting her layoff experience. “I lost my job; I don’t know how I’ll survive,” she said, adding, “Today was my last day at work. I thought layoffs at big companies were a distant reality, but here I am, in the middle of it.” The user then explained the daunting expenses she faces monthly, including mortgage payments, utilities, and other living costs.
A grim reality
But sadly, this was not an isolated incident targeting young and middle-aged workers. Many older employees also shared a similar plight. A 50-year-old netizen named Wang Haihong, who moved to Shanghai nearly three decades ago, lost his job unexpectedly after years of stable employment. “It’s like a mountain of uncertainty has landed on me,” he lamented, adding that the “fear of unemployment” is an unrelenting pressure with no end in sight.
Among those sharing their struggles, university graduates have expressed intense regret about their investment in higher education. “I used up all my family’s savings to go to college, only to get a degree that feels useless,” said a recent college graduate, “I haven’t eaten for three days because I can’t afford food.”
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A deepening crisis
But these stories also reflect a deepening crisis. In another account reported by Netease, a man in Zhejiang was found wandering the streets late at night in tears. He explained that, as a father of two, he had always sent his wages home punctually to support his family, but layoffs hit him hard, and seemingly out of nowhere. He’s been unable to tell his wife the full truth, fearing her reaction. “I’m over 40 and lack specialized skills,” he said, “and every job interview feels like a dead end.”
This wave of social media posts signals more than individual struggles; it’s a nationwide trend. Amid these personal stories, major Chinese tech companies like Tencent and Alibaba have made massive cuts in recent years. Reports indicate that since 2022, Tencent has laid off about 10 percent of its workforce, while Alibaba slashed over 20,000 jobs in 2024 alone.
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A tech worker in Beijing expressed her frustrations online by claiming that the fear of job loss is so great in China that employees are working overtime everyday. “The company lays off staff every three months,” she said. “For the last three years, I’ve worked overtime, even up to the night before giving birth. But every day, I’m haunted by the fear of losing my job.”
For 2024, the situation has worsened for young job-seekers, with over 11.7 million recent college graduates entering a saturated job market. The actual employment rate for recent graduates is reportedly around 50 percent, meaning many are left to face months of job searches, further straining families and savings.
Keeping up appearances
A new phenomenon has even emerged that involves recently unemployed tech workers in major cities passing their days in public libraries to “keep up appearances,” according to viral posts. “Pretending to go to work is not about running away from reality,” shared a recent graduate from Wuhan University, “it’s about maintaining some sense of normalcy and dignity.”
Chinese economist Cai Shenkun believes the unemployment crisis has yet to reach its peak. He noted that while some social media posts are aimed at gaining attention, they do reflect the broader challenges the labor market in China faces. Cai pointed out that simply injecting government funds to stimulate the economy won’t address the root issues, as businesses are hesitant to invest and lack real profitable avenues for growth.
