A youth-friendly city with enriched cultural activities, amiable living and work environments, and enhanced international exchange will be in place by 2025, the Zhuhai Municipal People's Government announced at a Jan 26 press conference.

The goal is stated in the Zhuhai Medium & Long-Term Youth Development Plan (2020-25), which was compiled by the Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League of China and released Dec 17, 2020. At present, the average age of Zhuhai residents is 34.8 and they account for more than half of the permanent population. Moreover, most of talents to be introduced will also be young-aged people.

The plan focuses on the core concerns of youth in ideology and morality, education, culture, health, marriage and love affairs, training and services, employment and entrepreneurship, exchange and cooperation, social integration and participation, rights protection, and crime prevention.

Press conference [Photo by Chen Jiazhe / WeChat account: zhtqb12345]

Compared with policies of the same type in Guangdong, the plan highlights youth talent services considering Zhuhai's proximity to Hong Kong and Macao. It addresses the large inflow of immigrants, and concentration of universities. For instance, it proposes a Zhuhai-Hong Kong-Macao joint talent introduction and cultivation mechanism and upgrading of Zhuhai Youth Talent Rest Stations. 

A new municipal first-grade "youth palace" will be built, as will industrial parks for Zhuhai-Macao youth cooperation, innovation, and entrepreneurship. In addition, an attempt will be made to bring the Guangdong Youth Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition to Zhuhai.

To promote exchanges with Hong Kong and Macao, Zhuhai will host activities for various youth groups. These include the Zhuhai-Macao Youth Talent Study & Exchange Camp, Zhuhai-Macao Student Culture & Art Festival, May 4th Coming-of-Age Ceremony for Zhuhai-Hong Kong-Macao Youth, and Greater Bay Area Youth Talk.

One-stop services will be offered to Hong Kong and Macao youth by youth homes, talent rest stations, and palaces. Construction of "Elite Startup Converge" comprehensive innovation and entrepreneurship platforms will be accompanied by regular training sessions and internship programs.  

Eyeing a more-efficient synergy system, Zhuhai will also explore the establishment of a youth federation for deepened Guangdong-Macao cooperation. 

In accordance with the plan, Zhuhai will also organize activities that youth are genuinely interested in, such as blind dates, friend-making, and basketball matches, said Hou Wentao, secretary of the Municipal Committee of the Communist Youth League of China.