More and more abandoned villages and towns are being found in China Where did all the people go?

It's all covered in today's China Truths. In recent years, uninhabited villages and towns have appeared in many parts of China. Netizens can't help but ask. There are no people in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. No people in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai. And even no people in the countryside. Where have all the people gone? Mainland live broadcast hosts, the whole town, hospitals, schools, banks, public security bureaus, everything, are all abandoned. Recently, a mainland blogger visited Zhongling Town, Nanyang County, Guizhou Province, and found that it was deserted and felt like the end of the world. According to reports, due to the evacuation of residents caused by geological disasters in 2017, the local area has become an abandoned town. There are still a large number of uninhabited villages in Guizhou. And some villages have suddenly been deserted in recent years for unknown reasons. Not only Guizhou, but also Jiangxi, Guangxi, Guangzhou, Fujian, Anhui, Hubei, Hunan and other places have also seen a large number of villages and towns with no people or only a few people left. A female live streamer from the mainland. There are only three or two old people still holding on in such a large village. And there are more stray dogs wandering around the village than people. What happened here? Where did the thousands of villagers go? On April 5th, a female live streamer posted a video lamenting that she found the largest uninhabited village in Fujian, with houses everywhere in the village, and no one knew where the villagers had gone. Many live streamers posted videos saying that a large number of uninhabited towns and villages also appeared on the plains of the three northeastern provinces. Xing Tian Xing, a political commentator living in the United States. There are no people in the plains of the northeast. I think there are three main reasons. The first is population. That is, the birth rate of the newborn population continues to decline. The second aspect is that a large number of people migrated to the south. The third aspect is the large number of deaths of older people. This has caused some villages or small cities to be deserted. Xing Tian Xing said that the economy of the northeast was not doing well 30 years ago. And many villages in rural and mountainous areas were also empty. Xing Tian Xing. I am from northeast China myself, so I know the reason behind it. It is because the local economy is completely gone. Young people have left and taken their parents with them. The most fundamental reason is the economic decline and the suffering of the people. Then they leave their hometown to seek a way out. In addition to the people who died in natural and man-made disasters that I mentioned, it has led to the current situation. Now all of China is facing the same problem as northeast China. Videos posted by bloggers in many places show that the population of cities and towns in China is also decreasing sharply. Many downtowns, shopping malls and stations that were once crowded with people are now sparsely populated. Bloggers have questioned, where have all the people gone? Chen Shuhan, a columnist for Beijing Spring. The current domestic employment situation is very severe. I guess there is a high possibility of escaping abroad. There is also a situation, during the epidemic, there were a lot of deaths because the virus spread very strongly, and the crematoriums couldn't handle it. If they announced that number, it would be terrible. That would be terrible. 3,600 stores closed in one year. Net profits of China's three largest pickled food makers fall sharply. The three Chinese marinated food giants, Zhouheiya, Huangxianghuang and Juehui Foods, saw a decline in both operating revenue and net profit in 2024. At the same time, in 2024, the three marinated food giants closed more than 3,600 stores. According to the 2024 annual reports recently released by the three listed companies, Zhouheiya Zhouheiya International Holdings Comer Limited had a revenue of 2.45 billion RMB, a year-on-year decline of 10.7%, and a net profit of 98.2 million RMB, a year-on-year decline of 15%. Huangxianghuang, Zhangxi Huangxianghuang Group Food Co. led, had a revenue of 1.739 billion RMB, a year-on-year decline of 9.44%, and an attributable net profit of 40.33 million RMB, a year-on-year decline of 42.86%. Juehui Foods, Juehui Food Co. led, had a revenue of 6.257 billion RMB, a year-on-year decline of 13.84%, and a net profit of 227 million RMB, a year-on-year decline of 34.04%. While both revenue and net profit declined, the number of stores of the three giants also decreased. According to a report by Phoenix Finance on April 19, Juehui Foods did not disclose the specific number of stores in its annual report. According to the last financial report, as of the end of June 2024, the total number of Juehui Foods stores in the mainland was 14,969. Compared with 15,950 stores at the end of 2023, a decrease of 981 stores in half a year. According to data from Ximen Canyon, there are currently 12,129 Juehui Duck Neck stores. If the data is accurate, it means that from the end of June 2024 to mid-April 2025, there was a decrease of 2,840 stores in less than a year. According to a Huachuan Securities Research Report, the number of Juehui Foods net store closures in 2024 may be around 2,000. Zhou Heiya's financial report shows that as of December 31, 2024, Zhou Heiya had a total of 3,031 stores, a net decrease of 785 stores year-on-year. Guangxianghuang had 3,660 stores, a net decrease of 837 stores from the end of 2023. In 2024, the three major braised food giants closed more than 3,600 stores. Moreover, in 2025, revenue and net profit are still declining. In the first quarter of this year, Juehui Foods revenue fell 11.47% year-on-year to 1.501 billion RMB, and net profit fell 27.29% year-on-year to 120 million RMB. Phoenix Finance believes that the reason for the decline in revenue and net profit is the sharp increase in retail prices. In Beijing, the Juehui Duck Neck mini-program shows that 270 grams of duck neck cost 30 RMB, 240 grams of black duck wings cost 25 RMB, 150 grams of duck intestines cost 30 RMB, and 120 grams of duck tongue cost 50 RMB. According to the Zhou Heiya mini-program, 300 grams of duck neck cost 36 RMB, 230 grams of duck wings cost 29 RMB, 80 grams of duck intestines cost 25 RMB, and 140 grams of duck tongue cost 59 RMB. At first glance, the amounts seem acceptable, but if the weights are converted to one caddy, 500 grams, ordinary people can feel the prices more directly. The combined prices of the two companies are, duck necks and duck wings are about 60 RMB per 500 grams, duck intestines are about 130 RMB per 500 grams, duck tongues are about 200 RMB per 500 grams. The unit prices of duck tongues, duck intestines and other categories are far higher than the prices of daily ingredients. According to research data from Bank of China International, Zhou Heiya's duck neck sales price was 45 RMB per 500 grams in 2012, and by 2023, the price of its fresh-keeping duck necks had risen to about 60 RMB per 500 grams. Jiuwei Foods has raised prices twice in a year. At the beginning of 2022, Jiuwei Foods announced a 5% price increase for some products. In July of the same year, Jiuwei Foods raised prices again, involving duck feet, squid, chicken feet and other products, with an average price increase of 7% to 10%. Although the price hikes stem mainly from rising raw material costs, braised food is still hard for workers to afford, especially since it's positioned as a snack. Some netizens jokingly call chain braised food stores gold shops. Phoenix Finance points out that high prices are just a symptom. The real issue is the failure of the giant's traditional business model. Around 2010, braised food became popular among urbanites for its convenience and affordability. At the time, it was mostly sold at stalls or small workshops. But brands like Zhou Heiya, Jiuwei and Huangshan Huang pushed the industry toward chain store expansion. From 2012 to 2017, all three went public, relying on rapid store openings to grow. But over a decade later, this horse-racing strategy has collapsed. Offline store traffic declined as online consumption rose, and the giant's expansion into e-commerce and delivery has an offset losses. Single-store revenue shrank, competition intensified and the number of stores dropped. On the product side, braised food has long relied on duck necks and wings with little innovation. The lack of variety and health-conscious options fails to attract younger consumers. Despite some cross-industry attempts, the giant still lacked core competitiveness. The article struck a chord online. Many netizens complained that braised food is overpriced and tastes worse. One said, 10 years ago, 30 RMB got you duck necks, intestines, cold dishes, even beer. Now 50 RMB buys almost nothing. Another noted, Zhou Heiya used to be flavorful. Now it's just salty. I used to eat it weekly. Now I regret every purchase. Others raised health concerns, saying there are too many additives. It's expensive and full of chemicals. People are starting to avoid it. Nightmare again, mandatory COVID tests resurface at Beijing's Belt and Road Summit. Awkward, Chinese diplomat claims Shanghai once shelters nearly 20,000 Jewish refugees, faces backlash. Xi Jinping turns to a softer diplomacy amid domestic challenges. It's all covered in today's China Truths. Northeastern small town, a chilling glimpse of the future. Most people have left, and during the day, you can hardly see anyone on the streets. The streets are filled with empty houses, and the overall scene is desolate. Many shops have closed down, and you have to walk several miles to buy soy sauce. Public transportation has ceased. Kindergartens are struggling, and several elementary schools have had to merge to form even a single class in an academic year. In middle and high schools, there are only a few students left, and both high-achieving students and teachers have departed, resulting in a significant decline in academic performance. This is Heilongjiang, a place that once nurtured me. The information above was authored by an internet user hailing from Heilongjiang province in northeastern China. They depict the current state of affairs in Boli County, a segment of Ketei City within Heilongjiang. This town is relatively obscure today, despite having once been a thriving county. According to the 2022 population statistics, the registered population exceeds 270,000, with a permanent population of 190,000. The average housing price is more than 4,000 yuan per square meter, and the average monthly salary is over 2,000 yuan. The busiest time of the year here is the end of the year, in the 10-plus days leading up to the New Year. The streets are teeming with people and traffic. Regardless of the type of business you're involved in, people are everywhere you look. However, starting from the third day of the Chinese New Year this year, people have been vanishing at a noticeable speed. The desolation that can be sensed in the streets and alleys has reverted to its typical state. Shopping malls, streets, and restaurants are all devoid of people. They are eerily empty. On a regular Monday to Friday, if you want to see a crowd, you can only go to the main road in front of the government building. That road, where government and administrative service personnel from various departments converge, is quite bustling. It's so lively that you can't even find a parking spot when you go there for your errands. The moment you step into the government office, you're greeted with a constant hum of activity and gazes from all around, making you feel as if you're not there to get things done but rather walking the red carpet at the Oscars. Over the past three years of the pandemic, on the main streets of this small town, business signs have changed multiple times, but the signs of party and government offices and banks have remained unchanged, looking both new and old. Furthermore, since 2022, there has been ongoing roadwork throughout the county, a cycle that has continued for two years. As a result, you often encounter ongoing construction on many main roads in the county, leading to traffic jams in the front and a temporary road covered with gravel in the middle. This has created disparities in road conditions between urban and rural areas. During the daily school commute, parents not only discuss their children's recent life and academic progress but also exchange ideas on how to navigate and avoid the congestion caused by ongoing construction. Over the past 15 years, the population of this small town has consistently dwindled due to emigration. The return of bustling traffic during the Chinese New Year serves as evidence of significant outward migration. In this area, there are no major mines or large corporations. According to last year's government report, the county's revenue in 2022 was 280 million yuan, while the budget expenditures amounted to 3.4 billion yuan. In other words, this small town relies on annual central government funding to operate, and it struggles to make ends meet. Last year, there were over 700 births and more than 1,400 deaths. If this trend continues, the young population in this small town will decline to almost zero in about a decade. A netizen expressed concerns, saying, this situation is somewhat common in rural towns across the country, but Heilongjiang appears to be facing a more severe version of it. It's a worrisome sign, and perhaps it foreshadows our future. Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We will keep reporting on the COVID surge in China, so don't forget to subscribe to our channel and turn on the notification bell to get the latest videos. And thank you for tuning in.