China has rolled out a new guideline to deepen the development of youth-friendly cities, aiming to create an environment where young people can enter, stay, live comfortably and succeed in their careers. The guideline, jointly issued by 15 central departments, outlines 18 specific measures covering industry foundations, innovation support, urban planning, housing, childcare and employment.
The guideline was jointly issued by 15 central departments, including the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China, the Cyberspace Administration of China and the National Development and Reform Commission. It outlines measures such as strengthening industry foundations for youth innovation, improving support systems for young innovators and enhancing skills. Key initiatives include youth-oriented urban planning, like integrating youth needs into spatial layouts, building small-unit and dormitory-style apartments near job hubs and transit lines, and encouraging 'youth-friendly shops' within 15-minute living circles.
Support for marriage, childcare, housing and employment is emphasized. These include subsidized childcare, after-school services, guaranteed schooling for children of migrant workers, and expanded 'youth hostels' offering free or low-cost accommodation for job-seeking college graduates.
By 2030, the youth-friendly city concept is expected to be widely promoted, with notable progress in innovation, quality of life, green development and governance. By 2035, a mature institutional framework for youth development will be established, aligning with the basic completion of people-centered modern cities.
Hunan province has led the effort. In April 2024, Hunan Party Secretary Shen Xiaoming stated at a meeting that building Hunan into a youth-friendly province is a 'strategic move concerning Hunan's long-term development.' He described Changsha as having the lowest housing prices and living costs among provincial capitals, with top-tier education and healthcare, calling it 'a unique presence in the world, most suitable for building a global R&D hub centered on young people.'
Local authorities report Changsha has built 115,000 units of government-subsidized rental housing, with 34,168 designated for young talent. He Xu, a computer science master's graduate from Hunan University and founder of a tech firm in Changsha, credited local policies for his success, including nearly 1 million yuan ($146,500) in cloud computing subsidies and a year of rent-free office space. This helped his team win 30 AI awards and gain national high-tech enterprise status in 2025. 'In Hunan, as long as you dare to try, you will get a response,' He said. 'We have incubators with real orders, competition-driven opportunities and mentors who never leave.'
