Feature: Young Chinese return from abroad to pursue dreams in homeland

Guo Shanqiuyun (L) and her husband Zhang Li walk on a path in front of a homestay in Tangjiazhuang Village in Huangshan City, east China's Anhui Province, Dec. 3, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhao Jinzheng)

Editor's note: Young people are often seen as the driving force for renewal and growth. As 2025 begins, Xinhua presents a series of five stories exploring the passions and pursuits of young Chinese, from the perspectives of consumption, careers, culture, innovation and lifestyle, discovering how they are reshaping the country's future trajectory. This is the last piece on their inspiring journey.

by Xinhua reporters Bai Xu, Zhao Jinzheng and Yue Yuanyuan

BEIJING, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- At 15, Guo Shanqiuyun made a bold decision to attend middle school in the United States, and eight years later, she made an even bolder decision to return to China and start her career in the countryside.

Unlike her parents' generation, who aspired to move to metropolises or go abroad, Guo and her husband chose to pursue their dreams in the picturesque Tangjiazhuang Village in Huangshan City, east China's Anhui Province.

"We believe that there are more opportunities in the rural areas," said the 33-year-old Guo, who is now the honorary village head. "We would like to explore more possibilities in the countryside."

Guo is among an increasing number of young Chinese, who returned from overseas after further study to pursue their dream in their home country.

According to the "2022 Blue Paper for Chinese Overseas Students Returning to China for Employment" released by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange, the number of students returning to China has significantly grown since 2012, with about 3.4 million people having returned, accounting for more than 80 percent of the people returning from studying abroad.

GREATER POSSIBILITIES

Guo studied business at Bentley University before pursuing Asian arts at the Sotheby's Institute of Art, while her husband worked as an architect. Their life trajectory changed after a trip to Tangjiazhuang, led by Guo's father, at the end of 2014.

"It was like a piece of white paper," she said of the small village, which boasted a beautiful environment.

An idea quickly came to her: to develop the village into a multi-functional hub offering catering, entertainment and accommodation, with the goal of attracting investment and tourists while improving the lives of local villagers. The couple then swung into action and began by transforming the old houses into cafes and homestays.

In 2023, the village's collective income reached 897,000 yuan (about 122,357 U.S. dollars), sustaining double-digit growth for five consecutive years. In 2024, the village welcomed over 30,000 visitors, a 30 percent increase compared to the previous year.

Like Guo, 26-year-old Zhan Xiuchen returned to his hometown after studying abroad. A Nanjing native with a master's degree in finance from the Australian National University, he is now pursuing his doctorate at China Pharmaceutical University.

"During my five years in Australia, I experienced the COVID-19 pandemic," Zhan said. "While I witnessed the advantages of China's system in controlling the spread of the disease, I also realized that there is room for improvement concerning vaccines and innovative drugs."

As a result, he decided to return to China and work in the field of pharmacoeconomics to "help people access the most cost-effective medicines."

Speaking more about his decision to leave Australia, Zhan cited his desire to be closer to his parents and the convenience of living in his home country.

"I didn't notice much difference between everyday life in Australia and China," he said, adding that, compared to developed countries, China has been rapidly catching up in recent years, with the environment and infrastructure in major cities improving quickly.

A 2018 Ipsos survey conducted across 15 countries found that Chinese people are the most optimistic about the future. According to the survey, 84 percent of adults and 92 percent of teenagers in China believed their lives would be better than those of their parents, compared to 51 percent and 47 percent in Britain, 37 percent and 31 percent in France, 46 percent and 52 percent in the United States, and 50 percent and 53 percent in Australia.

A DIFFERENT GENERATION

Zhan noted that compared with his parents, he lives at a time when China is on the fast track of development.

Li Qin, a professor with the School of Journalism and Communication in the Renmin University, believed that the middle-aged generation who grew up at a time when China was less developed used to regard Western countries as representatives of high-end lifestyle, whereas their children nowadays tend to look at the world on an equal footing.

According to a 2021 Global Times survey of 1,281 people aged 15 to 35 across China, the proportion of those who view Western countries as equals increased by six percentage points over the past five years, while the percentage of those who "look up to the West" dropped from 37.2 percent to 8.1 percent.

Guo Shanqiuyun acknowledged the benefits of education in Western countries, where cultural, sports and scientific activities help develop students' skills and leadership. However, she found that life in China offers greater safety and more efficient daily conveniences, such as payment systems and transportation.

Her view was echoed by 28-year-old Jiang Yumeng. "In China, if you want to order food or make purchases online, delivery is fast and affordable," she said. "When it comes to job-seeking, it's more difficult for foreign students with certain majors to find jobs as good as those available in China."

Jiang, who holds a master's degree in education from Johns Hopkins University, is currently a teacher at the Aerospace City School, affiliated with Renmin University.

Growing up in the port city of Qinhuangdao in northern China's Hebei Province, Jiang recalled hearing her parents talk about their lives at her age, when they lived in the dormitory of their work unit. Today, Jiang resides in an apartment in northern Beijing and travels whenever she has free time, exploring destinations across China as well as abroad.

"Thanks to the country's opening up and growing prosperity, young Chinese today have more opportunities to travel abroad, and observe the differences between China and the rest of the world," she said.

AN EMOTIONAL BOND

During her time in the United States, Guo Shanqiuyun noticed that many local media reports were biased and rooted in outdated stereotypes about China. "If they had traveled extensively in China, they would see how much the country has transformed over the past 10 or 20 years," she said.

Talking about Western countries and China, Jiang said that each has its own strengths and weaknesses, a topic she often explores with her students. "I chose to stay in China because I've witnessed its growing strength," she said. "When I travel abroad, I feel proud to have my motherland behind me."

She noted that Chinese students overseas tend to be more emotionally attached to their home country, which can be felt in various aspects.

Today, in cities around the world, Chinese youth can often be seen playing traditional folk instruments on the streets. At sports events, Chinese fans proudly wave their national flags in arenas, cheering enthusiastically for their home teams.

While in Canberra, Australia, Zhan attended the premiere of My People, My Country, a film celebrating important historical moments in China over the past seven decades. During the screening, many young attendees stood and sang the film's title song.

Back then Zhan served as chair of the Australian Capital Territory Chinese Students and Scholars Association, organizing performances for Chinese festivals.

After returning to China, he continued his work with the Australia-China Youth Talent Development Association, which he co-founded. The association provides a platform for Chinese students from Australian universities to find job opportunities in China. Through their efforts, over 100 students have secured positions at major companies, including SAIC Motor Co., Ltd. and Jiangsu Dacai Construction Group.

In the past decade, China has introduced a series of policy measures from the central to local levels to provide convenience and create conditions for returning overseas students.

"Whenever my young compatriots come to me and ask for advice, I always encourage them to go out and see more," Zhan said. "I also share my own experiences with them, along with the dream I can achieve in my home country." Enditem

(Xinhua reporters Xia Manlin and Guo Chen also contributed to the story.)

This photo shows Zhan Xiuchen (2nd R) and his team planning the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day party in Canberra, Australia, in 2021. (Xinhua)

Jiang Yumeng poses for a photo at the campus of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, the United States, June 3, 2022. (Xinhua)