Youth of China in the New Era
Unimpeded mobility and more development opportunities. As the socialist market economy develops, the vitality of market players increases, and various factors of production flow more easily, young people enjoy more development opportunities and greater mobility. With the extension of the strategy for coordinated regional development, young people in China, who used to flock to economically developed southern and eastern regions of the country, have gradually diversified the target cities where they seek development opportunities and where they can fit in and thrive. Many young people from rural areas settle down and realize dreams in cities through hard work. In 2020, the number of migrant workers reached nearly 170 million and most of them were young people. Young permanent urban residents accounted for 71.1 percent of the total young population in the country, 15.3 percentage points higher than ten years ago and 7.2 percentage points higher than that of the permanent urban residents in the country's total population. More young people are making their homes in the city and leaping forward in development through urbanization.
(3) More All-round Protection and Support
The development of young people calls for strong protection and support of the State. As fairness and justice in society have steadily improved and people's rights and interests have been effectively safeguarded, young people in China in the new era can grow and prosper in a better legal environment and enjoy stronger policy support, more reliable social security, and greater care from a range of organizations.
Better legal protection. With progress in the rule of law in all respects, the system of the socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics is steadily improving, providing strong protection for young people to develop. As the fundamental law of the country, China's Constitution clearly stipulates that "the state shall foster the all-round moral, intellectual and physical development of young adults, youths and children", which has laid a basic foundation for a legal framework to protect youth development. The youth development involves a wide range of areas and requires highly systematic, concerted efforts from all sectors. The Civil Code stipulates various civil rights and interests of young people. Laws including the Education Law, Compulsory Education Law, Vocational Education Law, Higher Education Law, Law on the Promotion of Privately-run Schools, and Family Education Promotion Law, among others, have prescribed a sound legal environment to ensure young people their right to education. Laws including the Employment Promotion Law, Labor Law, Labor Contract Law, Social Insurance Law, Law on Scientific and Technological Progress, Law on Population and Family Planning, Law on Physical Culture and Sports, and Law on the Protection of Rights and Interests of Women have effectively safeguarded the rights and interests of young people in various fields. Laws including the Criminal Law, Law on the Protection of Minors, Law on the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency, and Anti-Domestic Violence Law have helped build a legal shield protecting the legitimate rights and interests of young people.
