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Many parts of Asia are celebrating the start of the Lunar New Year tomorrow. It's the year of the fire horse. In the Chinese zodiac, the fire horse represents action and risk-taking. But on the streets of Beijing, many say they just want stability in this sluggish economy. NPR's Jennifer Pak brings us the story.
JENNIFER PAK, BYLINE: At a crowded Lunar New Year market in Beijing, vendors sell a mix of goods like red lanterns, dumplings and clothing. There's a lot going on, so sellers make noises to attract customers. Here's a vendor selling toy drums.
(SOUNDBITE OF TOY DRUMS)
PAK: Among the shoppers is Wang Wenxin. He says this past year has been good for him.
WANG WENXIN: (Non-English language spoken).
PAK: "My village home was set to be knocked down for a development project," he says, "so I was compensated with a home and some money." Money-wise, he's doing all right. As for his youngest child?
WANG: (Non-English language spoken).
PAK: "My son is a university graduate. He's 24 and still lives at home," he says. "Of course, we can support him, but we're worried." Worried because China's youth unemployment rate is high. Almost 1 out of 6 graduates were jobless last December.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: (Non-English language spoken).
PAK: Further down the market, student Xie Youzi says she's pursuing a consecutive master's and doctorate. She's still a few years off from graduating and says she's not that worried about her future job prospects. But when asked how she sees the coming year...
XIE YOUZI: (Non-English language spoken).
PAK: She says she hopes China's economy will continue improving so that more people can find jobs.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: (Non-English language spoken).
PAK: It's been a busy year for another graduate student, surnamed Shu. He asked that NPR not use his full name because he fears speaking about the economy in less than glowing terms could result in official retaliation.
SHU: (Non-English language spoken).
PAK: "I've been studying and interning," he says. "My schedule has been packed, so I didn't have much time to relax or have fun last year." His hard work has paid off. Shu already has a job lined up when he graduates this year. His wish for this Lunar New Year?
SHU: (Non-English language spoken).
PAK: "I just hope to successfully graduate and start my job without any major surprises." In this economic climate, predictability is stability, and those who have stable jobs, like Helen Yi, who works at a bank, say they're looking for more outside of work.
HELEN YI: (Laughter, non-English language spoken).
PAK: "In the new lunar year, I hope to develop more hobbies and interests. I wish my life to be more fulfilling." She says she's happy with the overall direction China is taking.
YI: (Non-English language spoken).
PAK: "The economy is steadily progressing," she says, especially in science, technology innovation and finance. But those things don't matter much to ordinary people, says Wang Wenxin, the man whose adult son is still living with him.
WANG: (Non-English language spoken).
PAK: He says, "Sure, you can hail a robot taxi in Beijing's pilot zone in Yizhuang, and it's relatively easy. But that's not creating human jobs," he says. And with the retirement age raised, plus another 12 million-plus students set to graduate this year, Wang says the pressure on young people and families like his is growing. Jennifer Pak, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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