bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sectionsV2 {
    value {
      __typename
      ... on Section {
        name
        published
      }
      ... on VideoSection {
        name
        published
      }
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      ... on Node {
        __isNode: __typename
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sectionsV2 {
    value {
      __typename
      ... on Section {
        name
      }
      ... on Node {
        __isNode: __typename
        id
      }
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sectionsV2 {
    value {
      __typename
      ... on Section {
        relatedNewsletters {
          ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
          id
        }
      }
      ... on Node {
        __isNode: __typename
        id
      }
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...hooksInlinePlusWidgetContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
  ... on Video {
    youtubeId
  }
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on SectionUnion {
  __isSectionUnion: __typename
  ... on Section {
    name
  }
  ... on VideoSection {
    name
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sectionsV2 {
    value {
      __typename
      ... on Section {
        entityId
      }
      ... on Node {
        __isNode: __typename
        id
      }
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sectionsV2 {
    value {
      __typename
      ... on Section {
        entityId
      }
      ... on Node {
        __isNode: __typename
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sectionsV2 {
    value {
      __typename
      ... on Section {
        entityId
      }
      ... on VideoSection {
        entityId
      }
      ... on Node {
        __isNode: __typename
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sectionsV2 {
    value {
      __typename
      ... on Section {
        name
      }
      ... on VideoSection {
        name
      }
      ... on Node {
        __isNode: __typename
        id
      }
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksInlinePlusWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sectionsV2 {
    value {
      __typename
      ... on Section {
        name
      }
      ... on Node {
        __isNode: __typename
        id
      }
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


types

sectionsV2

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

Luna Sun

Even a master’s degree from a top Hong Kong university and a string of impressive internships have not been enough to help Jethro Chen land a decent graduate job.
The final-year marketing student sent out dozens of applications to Chinese internet and consumer goods companies last year, but got nothing back except a folder full of polite rejection emails.
With his attempts to land a marketing internship in Hong Kong also ending in failure, Chen has been forced to push back his graduation from the Chinese University of Hong Kong by several months while he regroups.
“Fast-moving consumer goods just aren’t selling,” he sighed. “Consumers have become more rational and cautious with their spending.”
Chen is one of tens of millions of highly educated young Chinese who are facing unprecedented barriers to launching their careers, as a perfect storm of domestic and global economic headwinds leads Chinese employers to slash hiring for entry-level roles.
China’s youth unemployment rate shot up during the Covid-19 pandemic and has remained high ever since, with the country’s economy – hamstrung by weak consumer demand and a prolonged real estate slump – struggling to create enough high-quality jobs to absorb a ballooning number of graduates.
In April, the jobless rate for 16 to 24-year-olds fell to 15.8 per cent, down from 16.5 per cent the previous month. But the figure is still higher than it was at the same time last year – and is set to soar again in the summer as a record 12.22 million fresh graduates enter the job market.


The outlook for jobseekers is grim this year, according to Wang Dan, China director at consultancy firm Eurasia Group.
“Opportunities in the highest-paying industries – aside from a small number of positions in software, industrial design and a handful of cutting-edge sectors that are still hiring – are incredibly limited,” she said.
“Most graduates in finance, IT and even engineering are either jobless or preparing for postgraduate exams or the civil service. There’s barely a third option.”
Even China’s major state-owned banks – highly-prized employers among young Chinese due to the ironclad job security they offer – have dramatically scaled back their spring recruitment this year.
Agricultural Bank of China plans to hire just 4,530 people – a steep 68.9 per cent drop from last year’s 14,557 graduate hires. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) plans to recruit 4,506, down 47 per cent from last year, while China Construction Bank has slashed its intake 34.8 per cent to 3,567.
The public sector is clearly downsizing, and even though many state-owned enterprises are not letting people go all at once, they have stopped paying salaries to a significant number of employees, Wang said.
“Among my classmates, friends and former colleagues, the situation’s the same: everyone is passing around graduates’ résumés, but no one actually has jobs to offer,” she added.
“The anxiety is through the roof.”
What we’re seeing is not just unemployment, but a significant drop in job quality
Wang Dan, analyst
China’s job market is being buffeted by several different economic headwinds all at once – with the US trade war just one of the issues affecting employers.
The real estate sector – once a pillar of the country’s economy – has plunged into a deep slump. Meanwhile, the finance industry has seen its glossy image tarnished following a wave of strict new regulations, sharp pay cuts and widespread lay-offs.
Consumer demand remains subdued, with many households focused on replenishing their savings after years of economic turbulence. And the private sector at large, which provides most urban jobs, has also grown cautious: freezing headcounts, scaling back hiring plans, and in some cases cutting staff.
For some analysts, China’s high youth unemployment is ultimately a by-product of the country’s painful, but necessary transition to a new economic model, as old growth drivers like construction and labour-intensive manufacturing become increasingly ineffective.
“Competition in the job market will remain very intense, and youth unemployment will be a long-term issue,” said Xu Tianchen, senior China economist with the Economist Intelligence Unit.
“It’s common during a structural transformation – the same applied to Japan in the 1990s and 2000s, and it’s only recently that we’ve seen a tight job market there again.”
US tariffs are making this transition even harder, though the trade war is currently having a less severe impact on the job market than domestic factors, such as the property downturn and rapid industrial automation, according to Wang.
“What we’re seeing is not just unemployment, but a significant drop in job quality,” she said. “Many people have become gig workers, with lower wages and less security.”


If US tariffs go back up after the current 90-day truce between Beijing and Washington expires, then the effect on employment will be more serious. Eurasia Group predicts US duties on Chinese goods could return to between 40 per cent and 65 per cent by the end of the year, which would put nearly 7 million jobs at risk.
However, the fast growth of China’s services exports – driven by industries like video games, short-form video content and telecoms and data services – could partly offset those job losses, bringing the net impact on employment closer to 4 million, the group noted.
Other strong drivers of job creation in China include the technology sector – which is riding high after the breakout success of artificial intelligence start-up DeepSeek – and the IT industry, where companies are benefiting from the government’s “domestic substitution” push, Xu said.
The healthcare sector is also being buoyed by rising demand amid the country’s rapidly ageing society, he added.
Workers with AI-related skills are in high demand on Chinese recruitment platforms. Job postings for robotics algorithm engineers were up 36 per cent year on year during the first quarter of 2025 on Zhaopin, a major Chinese jobs platform. Hiring for algorithm engineers and machine learning roles was up 44 per cent and 18 per cent, respectively.
Yet, for graduates with other backgrounds, the pressure is still relentless. Owen Cao, a graduate student in ocean engineering at a top university in northern China, said many of his peers were struggling.
“It’s getting harder to get into top companies and prestigious research institutes,” Cao said.
“Many master’s students are preparing to pursue PhDs, sit civil service exams, study abroad, or apply for the ‘targeted selection’ programme,” he added, referring to a special fast track programme allowing top university graduates in China to enter the civil service by taking grass roots-level positions.
“Everyone’s trying to improve their competitiveness from different angles – because if you don’t, you’re the one who gets eliminated.”
Most graduates are still being funnelled into traditional sectors, but these are the very sectors being phased out by trends like AI
Chen Li, researcher
The outlook for young jobseekers this summer could be even tougher than last year, said Chen Li, a researcher at Anbound, an independent think tank based in Beijing. The unemployment rate is even higher, the number of fresh graduates has also risen, but demand from employers is shrinking.
“The disconnect between higher education and market demand hasn’t been resolved, while industrial upgrading is accelerating,” Chen said. “Most graduates are still being funnelled into traditional sectors, but these are the very sectors being phased out by trends like ‘new quality productive forces’ and AI.”
Graduates are more likely to find opportunities if they can fit into the growing trend of Chinese firms “going global” as worldwide supply chains reshuffle, according to Chen.
Those who enter the job market are likely to lower their salary expectations or accept fewer benefits, leading to a decline in living standards, she added.
“This could in turn fuel rising levels of anxiety and depression among young people, straining family relationships and posing risks to broader social stability,” Chen said.


China already had a graduate jobs crisis. The trade war is making it worse

Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

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Anxiety among young Chinese is ‘through the roof’ as employers cut graduate roles amid an uncertain economic outlook


Anxiety among young Chinese is ‘through the roof’ as employers cut graduate roles amid an uncertain economic outlook.


China already had a graduate jobs crisis. The trade war is making it worse

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Anxiety among young Chinese is ‘through the roof’ as employers cut graduate roles amid an uncertain economic outlook

Anxiety among young Chinese is ‘through the roof’ as employers cut graduate roles amid an uncertain economic outlook