China's 'Me' Generation
By George Thomas
CBN News Senior Reporter
April 19, 2008
CBNNews.com - BEIJING, China - They've been called China's 'Me' generation. Three hundred million adults under 30.
Is China becoming more religious in the midst of greater material wealth? Watch for more from CBN News Reporter George Thomas, following this report.
They make up a large portion of the country's emerging middle class. Many in this generation are too busy earning a living to care much about politics.
Show Me the Money
On a recent Friday afternoon, 32-year-old Jackie Lin thought it was time to reward himself.
So he walked into this car dealership in Beijing and dropped $100,000 and change on a brand new, fully-loaded Mercedes-Benz R-Class 350.
He paid cash!
"I like the price for the quality of car that I'm getting," Jackie Lin said.
Lin, an investment executive, is part of what some are calling China's 'Me' generation. And these days, this generation has plenty to smile about.
They are driving and prospering from China's economic boom.
"China today is not like it was 30 years ago," Lin said. "We have more opportunities today to succeed."
And what are some of the values that matter most to this generation?
"It's career, it's goods, it's prosperity, it's clothes, it's lifestyle," said James Mann, a China expert.
Who Cares About Politics?
So much is changing in China, not just economically, but politically. But you stop and talk to young people about their political views - what they think about what is going on in this country politically - their answer: they are not interested.
"Our life is so good. Why do we need to care about politics," Lin said. "I don't have time to think about this."
On Friday evenings, Beijing's young and socially active crowd can be found enjoying the city's fine dining and entertainment.
We met a couple of 20-something women discussing the latest fashion trends and how to make money in the Chinese stock market.
"Politics seems so far away from our daily lives," said a young Beijing resident. "Besides, what can we do to try and change the system? So far the government is doing a good job with the economy."
Fear of Challenging the Communists
James Mann, author of The China Fantasy, says many of today's young people are disinterested because they are nervous about pushing for political reform.
"Young people in China have grown up under a system for decades where there's been tremendous penalties for any kind of political activity, at least political activity that challenges the Communist party's monopoly on power," Mann said.
So this generation opts for stability and the freedom to pursue better living standards.
CBN News met two young entrepreneurs who started their own business giving dance lessons to some of the clubs in town.
"When we get together with friends, we talk about entertainment, fashion, music, pop stars, things that people our age around the world talk about. I don't think our parents would have dared to start such a business," said 22-year-old Wu Shibing.
Like so many of China's young people, these women are keenly aware of what life was like for their parents living through some of the darkest days in China's political history.
"I know my parents suffered a lot," said Vicky, a 27-year-old accountant from Beijing. "They would have been punished for wanting to make money like us. But today we live such different lives compared to them."
Tough Choices
A life that isn't without its share of challenges.
"The society, our family, our friends, expect a lot from us," said Zhang Chen, a 22-year-old student in Beijing. "The demand to get a good job, a nice house and make money is so intense."
For some turning to religion has become fashionable to cope with the daily pressures.
"There are things that I cannot handle on my own," said Ms Hung, a young lady CBN News met in the Beijing's financial district. "The pressure is just too much. I sometimes ask God for help."
Three hundred million plus. That's the number of young people under 30 in China today.
Combined with an emerging middle class, China watchers say this segment of society has the potential to shape China's future.
The question is whether they'll use their growing influence to push for a more open society, or be satisfied with the status quo.
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