Growth that doesn't show in economic metrics

China's leadership has set an economic growth target of 4.5-5 percent for 2026 while acknowledging the economic pressures the country faces, including employment challenges facing young people. In fact, increasingly, many young Chinese are placing greater value on personal fulfillment, creative expression and flexible lifestyles over conventional definitions of professional success. For them, "Do What You Love" is not merely a slogan, but an emerging worldview shaping career choices and consumption patterns alike.

This shift in values is reshaping not only how young Chinese view work and success, but also the broader structure of China's cultural and creative economy. At the center of this transformation is the rise of a new creative class among young Chinese. The cultural and creative sectors are not only important economic drivers but also sources of innovation, influencing industries ranging from entertainment and design to technology and digital services.

According to China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), a major strategy is underway to increase the supply of high-quality creative cultural products. This initiative requires the integration of technology and cultural content, with talent being the linchpin of emerging cultural business models such as digital animation, online literature and micro-dramas.

The numbers speak for themselves. China's trade in creative goods and services was $32 billion in 2002. By 2014, it had increased fivefold to $191.4 billion. Last year, the combined revenue of major cultural companies was nearly $2.18 trillion. According to a United Nations Conference on Trade and Development report, China's trade in creative products and services has surpassed the total trade of many countries.

The workforce driving China's creative cultural industry mainly comprises individuals aged 20 to 40. Between 2019 and 2021, Beijing was the top destination for talent in this industry, followed by Shanghai and Shenzhen. Of late, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Changsha, Ningbo and Jinhua have also become hubs for the creative cultural industry.

One notable genre in this industry is stand-up comedy, which has developed a mature industry chain. Stand-up comedians typically start with "open mic" events and training camps as part of the talent selection process. From there, agencies step in to facilitate commercialization through artist management and content production. The content ultimately reaches consumers and enterprises through online TV shows, annual stand-up comedy competitions, short videos and live theater performances. Ordinary people — be they delivery drivers, auto mechanics, security guards or high-school dropouts — can become nationwide stars after appearing on popular stand-up comedy shows.

But the journey to success is long and arduous. Many comedians, often from rural areas and small towns, endure financial hardships during the initial stages of their career. They flock to big cities such as Shanghai to perform in offline theater because they can't make a living just from "open mic" events. Many must perform more than 1,000 offline shows before they get a chance to appear on an online show.

China's evolving social and cultural landscape supports the growth of stand-up comedy. The core audience comprises digital natives aged 18 to 40 who are educated, socially aware and eager for open and equal dialogue. Stand-up comedy offers urban youth an emotional outlet and psychological comfort, with "golden quotes and jokes" increasingly becoming social currency.

Economic development provides the financial foundation for the blossoming of stand-up comedy and other creative cultural sectors. Compared to concerts, stand-up comedy shows are reasonably priced, with ticket prices ranging from 10 yuan ($1.46) to 100 yuan. For the audience, it is a low-cost and high-gratification proposition.

Stand-up comedy is just one of the most striking examples of how China's creative cultural industry has evolved. The rise of the creative class among China's young generation plays a critical role in advancing the national economy through the creative cultural industry.

Meantime, young Chinese are not rejecting high-paying jobs. The pursuit of what they love, as indicated by the growth of the creative cultural economy, reflects social and cultural developments in China, which do not show up in traditional economic metrics.

The author is a visiting scholar at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a senior research fellow at Stellenbosch University in South Africa.

The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.

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