Open-minded and independent Chinese youth

Fashionable, individualistic and open-minded these are
 a few characteristics of young Chinese people today.

In tomorrow's segment of our series on three decades of reform and opening up, we examine how the reasons for studying English in China have changed through the different stages of the country's opening up and development process...

25-year-old Li Qian is trying to master table etiquette. As a red wine salesperson she is naturally expected to be knowledgeable about wines.

Li Qian said, "It is a challenge to reach my monthly sales target which is as much as hundreds of thousands of yuan. Our clients are very professional. So I must be knowledgeable and answer all kinds of questions professionally. This really pushes me to learn every day. There is certainly lots of pressure."

Li Qian's job is not as romantic as she had expected. She spends about 4 hours on the phone every day, dealing with clients. But she never regrets her career choice. When she talks about wine, she is intoxicated.

Li Qian said, "I really like my job. It gives me a lot of satisfaction and has enriched my life... and I have also made many new friends. I am quite willing to meet the challenges...such as pressure, learning more about wine...improving my interpersonal skills."

25-year-old Li Qian is trying to master table etiquette. As
a red wine salesperson she is naturally expected to be
 knowledgeable about wines.

China's opening up to the outside world means that young Chinese have had more opportunities than their parents... to broaden their horizons.

Young Chinese today are more independent-minded than previous generations. They are seeking more freedom and individuality in their work, marriage and life styles. Many are taking on more responsibilities... along with the accompanying burdens. But they are finding ways to convert the extra pressure into motivation. And that renewed energy will greatly help to propel China's reform and opening-up.

Work hard, play hard. That's Li Qian's philosophy. Her life outside work reveals other aspects of her personality. Boxing enables her to forget her work and worries. And caring for her colorful fish brings some serenity.

Li Qian said, "I want to be happy every day. I want to combine my personal interests with my work. When I have free time, I like to go shopping with my parents. I don't really think much about getting married. I want to enjoy my life as it is."

But Li Qian's mother, perhaps unsurprisingly, doesn't agree with her daughter's outlook.

Li Qian's mother said, "The most urgent thing to do when we were about 20 was to get married and set up a family. I don't understand why many young people today like my daughter are not concerned at all about marriage. They have many strange ideas about life and work. We sometimes quarrel about these things."

But in spite of this clash of ideas and attitudes...and different social backgrounds...Li Qian and her mother always manage to maintain a good relationship.

 
But in spite of this clash of ideas and attitudes...and
different social backgrounds...Li Qian and her mother
always manage to maintain a good relationship.