The United Nations (UN) in China convened a high-level dialogue in Beijing on Wednesday to mark International Youth Day, with participants urging deeper global cooperation to tackle youth development challenges.
The dialogue brought together representatives from UN agencies, Chinese government departments, academia and the private sector to discuss ways to align global youth agendas with China's national development plans.
UN data shows nearly 1.3 billion people aged 15 to 24 worldwide, many in least developed, landlocked and small island states, where poverty, scarce education resources and job pressures pose major challenges.
China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) outlines a special section on supporting youth development for the first time, which is expected to offer important opportunities for young people in China and beyond.
"As China begins implementing the 15th Five-Year Plan, which is certainly dedicated to the young people and their aspirations. Together with the forthcoming youth development plan, this reinforces the priority placed on young people in national development and presents an important opportunity to translate evidence on their evolving needs and aspirations into practical, coordinated action," said Shahbaz Khan, director and representative of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Regional Office for East Asia.
Over the past years, a growing number of young people from abroad are choosing to visit, study or work in China to gain a firsthand understanding of the country, moving beyond fragmented online information, as China's international influence continues to grow.
"We see a lot of growth in the interactions that young people have with China from around the world. I think for me, this is really a sign that young people today live in a world that is more interconnected than ever," said Nadia Rasheed, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) representative to China.
"For me, these trends are very special because they allow young people to connect in a unique way and they also show the interest and curiosity that young people around the world have about China. Young people are learning about China's incredible development journey. They're learning about the incredible innovations that we see around the country, and they want to be able to be a part of that, and they want to be able to learn and connect with young people in China," she continued.
UN in China holds high-level dialogue on International Youth Day
