Young dreamers, new engines: How China's youth are shaping the future

At a recent concert in Nanning, 1,000 drones rose into the night sky, forming iconic symbols of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

While the audience sees romance and spectacle, 22-year-old Yang Dan sees code, timing and precision. She writes flight scripts, plans routes and even decides exactly where each drone should be placed before takeoff. Her team has completed more than 150 drone performances so far.

Last year, Yang's profession, drone swarm flight planner, was included in the newly recognized professions. Since China rolled out its new occupational classification system in 2019, seven batches have been unveiled, bringing 110 new occupations in total. This gives young people like Yang a clearer career path in emerging industries.

Across China, more young people like Yang are building careers in new sectors and helping drive industrial upgrading.

In Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, a research team with an average age of under 30 has developed a second-generation wheeled humanoid robot.

The robot can perform Wing Chun movements, complete precise industrial tasks, and even take part in robot manufacturing.

The team works with clear division of roles. Pang Kai, 32, leads the lab and focuses on solving real industrial challenges. Li Lanxin, an algorithm engineer born in 1999, develops motion control systems to ensure safe human-machine interaction. Ding Yuxuan, a young researcher born after 2000, works on visual-language-action models, giving robots stronger perception and decision-making abilities.

Founded only two years ago, the team has already achieved key breakthroughs. For them, robots are not display pieces, but practical tools for factories, homes and businesses – designed to reduce repetitive labor and improve efficiency.

Far from industrial parks, youth innovation is also changing rural China.

In Hainan, Jiang Bizhen, a post-1985 generation agricultural live-stream host, has spent the past decade helping farmers sell local products online.

Her team has helped more than 3,000 farming households and created over 300 local jobs, allowing villagers to earn stable incomes close to home.

Thanks to the opportunities created by the Hainan Free Trade Port, local products now reach customers in Russia, Thailand and United Arab Emirates. Tropical fruits, coffee and specialty foods from the island are finding global markets.

Behind these personal stories is a broader national effort to support youth development and employment.

Ahead of this year's China's Youth Day on May 4, President Xi Jinping encouraged young Chinese to integrate their personal aspirations into the bigger picture of national development, in a reply letter to the representatives of the awardees of the China Youth May Fourth Medal and New Era Youth Pioneer. 

Stressing that 2026 marks the opening year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), Xi said the present time presents a prime opportunity for young people to contribute to the country's development.

In March, authorities introduced a package of measures to boost employment for college graduates and young workers, encouraging job creation in advanced manufacturing, modern services, and technology-driven industries.

The country is also providing lower-cost startup spaces, stronger support for young entrepreneurs, and more training for modern agriculture and new professions.

In April, 15 government departments jointly introduced 18 measures, designed to improve urban environments for young people. The measures seek to transform cities into hubs where young people can pursue high-quality development, enjoy better living standards, and actively participate in governance.

Against this backdrop, President Xi urged young Chinese to stay rooted in their posts, strive for new achievements and inject their youthful dynamism into advancing the nation's new journey of development.