China's challenges with high youth unemployment are growing. In July, youth unemployment rose to 17.1 percent, the highest monthly figure so far in 2024.
It is also a clear increase compared to the previous month when unemployment among 16-24-year-olds was 13.2 percent. The challenge is not new, however - as early as last summer in June, the record figure of 21.3 percent was reported, which then prompted authorities to temporarily stop reporting the figures and change the calculation method, excluding students from the statistics.
Nearly twelve million students left Chinese universities in June, and the country's president Xi Jinping has previously announced that combating youth unemployment will be a priority.