”Låtsaskontor” trendar i Kina – därför ökar fenomenet | NTD NYHETER

For a daily allowance of between 65 and 120 kronor, there's a desk, computer, wifi, drinks and even lunch. These fake offices have become unexpectedly popular in China. Even though no one actually works there, everyone acts as if they are busy. Bookings are flowing in, most customers are young adults. Many still live with their parents. For them it's a way to maintain a daily routine and avoid the stress of being unemployed at home. But why is the demand so high? The labor market in China is extremely tough right now. A common expression among university students is When I take the exam, I become unemployed. Last summer it was described as the toughest time to find a job in China. But this year can be even worse. More than 12 million students are expected to take the exam. That's 430,000 more than the year before. According to official figures, youth unemployment is at 14.9%. But a report from 2024 from China's largest job search platform shows that almost 45% of all newly examined students are unemployed. Professor Zhang Dandan at Peking University says that the figure could have reached 50% by the beginning of 2023. At the same time as the authorities in Peking are tightening the control of public statistics, it is becoming more and more difficult to obtain exact and independent data.