// Global Analysis Archive
Source reporting links the rise of ‘rat people’ and ‘lying flat’ attitudes among Chinese graduates to elevated youth unemployment, degree oversupply, and weakening belief that hard work yields mobility. The document suggests that demographic decline and shifting gender and family norms are amplifying the strategic costs of youth disengagement, challenging policy efforts centered on messaging and incremental incentives.
The Diplomat reports that China’s expanding higher-education system is producing more degree holders than the labor market can absorb, contributing to elevated youth unemployment and the rise of ‘lying-flat’ and ‘rat people’ subcultures. The article argues that demographic decline and shifting values around work and family raise the strategic cost of youth disengagement, while current policy responses may not fully address underlying affordability and job-quality constraints.
The source reports that CUHK expelled student activist Miles Kwan after a disciplinary process following his advocacy for an independent probe into the November 2025 Wang Fuk Court fire. The case may intensify self-censorship and raise governance and reputational risks for universities amid politically sensitive post-disaster accountability debates.
Duke Kunshan University has begun enrolling its first undergraduate cohort, offering an English-taught liberal arts and sciences degree designed with Duke faculty and Chinese expert input. The initiative positions itself as a study-abroad-at-home pathway to build globally competitive talent while keeping students embedded in China’s fast-changing economy.
Source reporting links the rise of ‘rat people’ and ‘lying flat’ attitudes among Chinese graduates to elevated youth unemployment, degree oversupply, and weakening belief that hard work yields mobility. The document suggests that demographic decline and shifting gender and family norms are amplifying the strategic costs of youth disengagement, challenging policy efforts centered on messaging and incremental incentives.
The Diplomat reports that China’s expanding higher-education system is producing more degree holders than the labor market can absorb, contributing to elevated youth unemployment and the rise of ‘lying-flat’ and ‘rat people’ subcultures. The article argues that demographic decline and shifting values around work and family raise the strategic cost of youth disengagement, while current policy responses may not fully address underlying affordability and job-quality constraints.
The source reports that CUHK expelled student activist Miles Kwan after a disciplinary process following his advocacy for an independent probe into the November 2025 Wang Fuk Court fire. The case may intensify self-censorship and raise governance and reputational risks for universities amid politically sensitive post-disaster accountability debates.
Duke Kunshan University has begun enrolling its first undergraduate cohort, offering an English-taught liberal arts and sciences degree designed with Duke faculty and Chinese expert input. The initiative positions itself as a study-abroad-at-home pathway to build globally competitive talent while keeping students embedded in China’s fast-changing economy.
| ID | Title | Category | Date | Views | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RPT-1202 | China’s ‘Rat People’ Signal a Growing Break Between Degrees, Jobs, and Demographic Goals | China | 2026-02-16 | 0 | ACCESS » |
| RPT-1171 | China’s ‘Rat People’ Signal a Growing Break Between Degrees, Jobs, and Demographic Strategy | China | 2026-02-15 | 0 | ACCESS » |
| RPT-1129 | CUHK Expulsion Highlights Rising Institutional Risk for Post-Fire Accountability Advocacy in Hong Kong | Hong Kong | 2026-02-14 | 0 | ACCESS » |
| RPT-61 | Duke Kunshan Launches Undergraduate Program, Signaling China’s Next Phase of Internationalized Talent Development | Higher Education | 2026-01-20 | 1 | ACCESS » |