China has unveiled an innovative strategy to integrate youth development into urban planning, housing, health care, education and public services.
The primary goal of the release is to make urban living environments more supportive of youth, children and families.
The new blueprint, jointly issued by 15 departments and released on Wednesday, aims to expand the creation of “youth-growth-oriented cities”.
The move follows Beijing’s March announcement to establish a “child-friendly society” between 2026 and 2030.
Meanwhile, officials are working to reverse China’s significant demographic decline after data showed births are set to fall to 7.92 million in 2025, a record low.
China’s population shrank by 3.39 million last year, after declining for the fourth consecutive year.
To tackle this, the new strategy includes measures such as better matchmaking and social services, expanded childcare subsidies and wider coverage of mother and baby rooms in public places.
Additionally, it aims to upgrade maternity and pediatric care while ensuring equal school access for children of migrant workers.
Expanding employment and career development
It focuses on creating high-quality jobs in emerging sectors such as lean economy, intelligent robots and biomedicine.
The initiative will provide support to young founders through subsidized workplaces and better access to startup capital in youth-friendly urban areas.
Additionally, it aims to provide access to services and education for the children of migrant workers, removing barriers that previously prevented workers from settling permanently in cities.
Strengthening social and community services
Interestingly, the blueprint includes provisions for government-supported matchmaking and social services to help youth expand their social circles and find partners.
Furthermore, it aims to increase the availability of psychological counseling and mental health resources specifically tailored to the high-stress environment of major cities.
“By 2030, the concept of youth-development-oriented cities will be widely established,” the policy said, adding that China aims to build a “relatively mature and complete system for youth development” by 2035.
China is playing a key role in urban transformation, having released a blueprint for high-quality urban development last year to make cities more liveable by 2035.
This initiative is in line with the authorities’ shift towards prioritizing quality of life and sustainable development rather than just rapid growth.
