介绍:
With the end of the Spring Festival, more and more young people here in China are debating whether or not to migrate back to the big city or stay in their home towns.
Li Jing explains.
"Should I stay or should I go, that's the question." In recent years, the notion of "escaping" from big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, has become popular among young college grads.
Metropolises have driven a large majority of this group away with monstrously high house prices, congested transportation, and poor air quality.
Today, however, this group is starting to reconsider their choices, with some already heading back to the metropolises they once deemed totally unlivable.
Less fierce competition, lower housing prices and seemingly favorable policies for talented people are factors which make cities in less developed areas an attractive alternative for young talents. The young professionals are drawn back to small cities, only to find it difficult to get a decent offer without a strong family background or connections.
Liu Baocheng, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics, says that when going back, young professionals will face difficulties in integrating into local society.
"I observe a distinction between the cultures of villagers and outsiders. When people have been living together for generations they will intertwine with each other. There's no clear separation between work life and community life. Village society can be very warm and villagers may be very passionate in their interpersonal relations. However, if you cannot really disseminate yourself into it as a professional you'll very much struggle not only with your career development but also in your daily life. The existence of an outsiders culture with support for migrants would provide professionals with better living and working conditions."
For those who are young and aiming high, the pursuit of their career is the determining factor in choosing their location.
However, the difficulty lies in the shortage of high-end industries that can accommodate young talents in underdeveloped areas.
Liu believes that big cities, in contrast, provide more resources such as various social circles and mature high-end industrial clusters, generating plenty of job opportunities for young people.
Wei Hua, who comes from a small city in Liaoning province, now works at a foreign company in Beijing. She explains that it's almost impossible for her to find a suitable job in her hometown. Failing to get a suitable job that could make use of her expertise, she headed back to Beijing, saying that despite the fierce competition and notorious air quality, she still prefers seeking opportunities in this city.
"I majored in computer science when I was at university. I could only find suitable positions that matched my major in big cities where the IT industry is booming, like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou."
This "leave-and-return" trend, according to Professor Liu, however, is not a rare sight in China, and social mobility should be encouraged. Liu says that getting mobile is a good thing for today's young people.
"Actually it is a phenomenon around the world. Young strivers will flock into migrant cities to seek better opportunities for promotion, career development and also learning. They also have to be aware that they have to get mobile, instead of getting completely settled in one city they can take a sort of try-an-area approach to finding their proper position. Most of them will have to make a rational choice for today's decision."
With a comparatively level playing field, rich social resources and ample job opportunities, metropolises like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong are still drawing well-educated, young people to fight for their dreams.
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