China has issued a new guideline to deepen the development of youth-friendly cities, aiming to create environments where young professionals can "enter, stay, live comfortably and succeed in their careers".

The guideline, jointly released by 15 central departments — including the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China, the Cyberspace Administration of China and the National Development and Reform Commission — outlines 18 measures to make cities more welcoming to young professionals. The measures cover industrial foundations, innovation support, urban planning, housing, childcare and employment.

By 2030, the concept of youth-friendly cities is expected to be widely promoted, with notable progress in innovation, quality of life, green development and governance.

By 2035, a mature institutional framework for youth development should be in place, aligned with the basic completion of modern, people-centered cities.

Key measures include strengthening industrial foundations for youth innovation, improving support systems for young innovators and enhancing their skills.

The guideline also emphasizes youth-oriented urban planning, such as integrating youth needs into spatial planning, building small-unit and dormitory-style apartments near job hubs and transit lines, and encouraging "youth-friendly shops" within 15-minute living circles.

Support for marriage, childcare, housing and employment is also highlighted. Measures include subsidized childcare, after-school care, guaranteed schooling for migrant workers' children, and expanded "youth hostels" offering free or low-cost accommodation for recent graduates seeking employment.

Hunan province has been at the forefront of the push.

In April 2024, Shen Xiaoming, Hunan Party secretary, said at a meeting that the province should be built into one that is friendly to young people, describing it as a "strategic move concerning Hunan's long-term development".

Shen has since extended invitations to young people on multiple occasions. Provincial leaders have led delegations to several provinces and cities to attract talent, while policies have been introduced to support university students' entrepreneurship and accelerate the aggregation of young talent.

Shen pointed to Changsha, the provincial capital, during this year's national two sessions, highlighting how its housing prices and living costs are among the lowest among all provincial capitals in China, while its education and healthcare standards rank in the country's top tier.

"Changsha is a unique presence in the world," he said, adding that it is well-suited to becoming a global research and development hub centered on young people.

According to local authorities, Changsha has built 115,000 units of government-subsidized rental housing, with 34,168 units designated for young talent, covering all districts and counties.

He Xu, a computer science master's graduate from Hunan University and founder of a tech company in Changsha, said he succeeded with the help of local policies.

His company received nearly 1 million yuan ($146,298) in cloud computing subsidies and a year of rent-free office space, enabling the team to win 30 AI awards in domestic competitions. In 2025, the company was recognized as a national high-tech enterprise and took part in a youth talent program, receiving further financial support.

He said he is grateful and hopes to give back to Hunan's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

He has launched an AI-generated content, or AIGC, competition to connect young entrepreneurs with quality cooperation opportunities and serves as an entrepreneurship mentor at Hunan University and other institutions, sharing his experience with students.

"In Hunan, as long as you dare to try, you will get a response," He said, urging young entrepreneurs to start businesses in the province. "We have incubators with real orders, competition-driven business opportunities and mentors who never leave."

Contact the writers at zoushuo@chinadaily.com.cn