Young professionals across China are celebrating their resignations from stable, well-paying jobs by throwing elaborate parties reminiscent of traditional marriage ceremonies, reports The Times of India and CNN. Despite the country's challenging economic climate and soaring youth unemployment rates, individuals in their 20s are leaving positions due to reasons such as low salaries and burnout, the CNN report said. Chinese social media has seen an influx of posts about these "resignation parties." According to Maimai, a Chinese professional networking platform akin to LinkedIn, 28% of surveyed employees across various sectors resigned in 2022, and this number doubled for those intending to quit but hadn't done so yet, the CNN report said. The dissatisfaction reportedly stems from a deep sense of disillusionment among overworked young individuals who have faced intense academic competition and high parental expectations.

A similar movement, dubbed the Great Resignation, had taken off in the United States, with almost 50 million people quitting their jobs in two years. While the phenomenon is petering out in the West, it seems to be just getting started in China. Experts say the trend could exacerbate the country’s growing economic headaches, as a falling birth rate and shrinking workforce spell trouble for future growth, and for generations of Chinese youth.