China fears Gen Z is being pushed to quit as lying flat spreads among youth

Authorities claim foreign interference is behind the trend

In China, more young people are embracing “lying flat,” a movement rejecting relentless work after rising costs and job insecurity. The shift worries officials who say the trend threatens China’s growth model and innovation drive. Authorities have even framed it as potential foreign interference from the West, raising the stakes for the nation’s next phase of economic and technological competition.