Chinese are losing their mental health: What is Xi Jinping doing?

China's National Health Commission plans to improve mental health services (between 2025 and 2027), focusing on rising mental health issues among children and adolescents

China’s National Health Commission (NHC) has outlined plans to address gaps in mental health services between 2025 and 2027, with a focus on addressing the rising prevalence of mental health issues among children and adolescents.

 

The initiative includes the establishment of a national mental health hotline, regional mental health centers, and the promotion of key clinical specialties in mental health, according to a report by news agency Reuters.

 

Focus on access and infrastructure 

The NHC aims to ensure that by 2025, outpatient services for mental and sleep disorders will be accessible in at least one hospital in every prefecture and city across the country. This effort is part of a broader strategy to make mental health services more widely available to China’s population of 1.4 billion.

 

Recent violent incidents, such as stabbings and vehicle attacks in 2024, have highlighted the urgent need to address mental health issues. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 54 million Chinese citizens suffer from depression, while 41 million experience anxiety disorders. Adolescents are particularly affected, with an estimated 2 per cent experiencing depression, as reported by Xinhua News Agency.

 

Education and awareness initiatives 

China has prioritised mental health education in schools. A national action plan launched in 2023 aims to ensure that over 95 per cent of schools have at least one full-time or part-time mental health instructor by the end of 2024.

 

The slowing economy and precarious employment opportunities have added stress to many lives, compounding mental health challenges. While China’s violent crime rates remain below global averages, the growing impact of economic uncertainties on mental well-being cannot be overlooked, experts said as quoted by the report.

 

Recent attacks in China

 

China has faced a series of violent incidents, including the deadliest mass killing in a decade, sparking a broader conversation about mental health issues in the country.

 

June 24, 2024 – Suzhou, eastern China

An unemployed man in his 50s carried out a knife attack on a Japanese school bus, injuring a Japanese boy, his mother, and fatally wounding a Chinese staff member who attempted to shield the students. The incident prompted strong criticism of ‘extreme nationalism’ on state media and social platforms.

 

September 30, 2024 – Shanghai, eastern China

In a suburban supermarket, a 37-year-old man attacked shoppers with a knife, leaving three dead and 15 injured. Police investigations revealed the suspect had travelled to Shanghai after a financial dispute, seeking to express his frustration through violence.

 

November 11, 2024 – Zhuhai, southern China

A 62-year-old man drove into a crowd at a sports centre, killing 35 people and seriously injuring 43. Authorities reported that the act was motivated by his dissatisfaction with the division of assets during his divorce proceedings.