摘要：Around 70 young people gathered at the UN compound in Beijing on August 26 to celebrate International Youth Day, which is observed

Around 70 young people gathered at the UN compound in Beijing on August 26 to celebrate International Youth Day, which is observed annually on August 12, and to discuss the futures they want.

Young people celebrated International Youth Day in Beijing on August 26. Photo by UNFPA China

Hosted by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in China, the event provided a platform for young people to share their views and experiences on their desired family life and fertility choices, as fertility rates in China and globally are dropping to record lows.

Informed by key findings from UNFPA's 2025 State of the World Population report, the event highlighted that at the individual level, there is often a gap between desired and actual fertility. This gap signals that many young people are unable to achieve their family aspirations or realize their full reproductive rights due to social, economic, and cultural barriers.

To encourage dialogue and strengthen solidarity between generations, the event brought together people of different ages, as well as delegations from both the public and private sectors, to exchange their views and ideas. It also enabled participants to share perspectives on priorities and practices for supporting young people to pursue the lives they want for themselves and their families.

"As a senior university student, my current priority is my career. I hope to find a secure and stable job before deciding on family and fertility choices. I hope to have a partner who can share domestic and childcare responsibilities flexibly with me," said Li Tong, a student at Renmin University. (By Zhao Anqi/China Youth Daily)

来源：中青报客户端