Konjunktur: Hightech-Boom trifft Alltagskrise – wie Chinas Wirtschaft in zwei Teile zerfällt
Das Land erlebt einen Tech-Höhenflug – doch in der traditionellen Wirtschaft stagniert der Wohlstand. Die Zahl prekär Beschäftigter steigt. Ökonomen fordern Umverteilung.
In China, the economy is divided into two parts - a high-tech boom and an everyday crisis. This dichotomy is exemplified by the story of Long Youshen, a Chengdu-born entrepreneur who struggled to maintain his own business after working for Samsung. Despite initial hope, his fruit farm failed, leaving him with a loss of over 130,000 euros.
He now aspires to become a driver for Didi, the Chinese equivalent of Uber, but faces fierce competition and low prices on livestreaming platforms. Long's story is emblematic of a broader phenomenon affecting educated individuals who, once accustomed to stable incomes, now face job scarcity and wage stagnation. Many are turning to low-wage sectors, with over 200 million people working in such jobs and possibly even 300 million.
The uneven development of China's economy is revealed in the contrasting tech and traditional sectors, with the latter struggling due to a shrinking population, high local government debt, and declining private consumption. Young people are particularly affected, with a 14.9% unemployment rate among those aged 16-24. The real estate crisis and volatile stock market are also contributing to consumer hesitancy.
While the Chinese government highlights technological advancements and progress in AI, the reality for many is a challenging economic landscape.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
