Published on: 2026-04-24
Source: The People’s Republic of China in Russian –
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Beijing, April 24 /Xinhua/ — Against the backdrop of the transformation of social structure, the change of values, and technological development in China, a new consumption model has appeared — “accompaniment economy,” which demonstrates a huge market potential and becomes an important marker of changes in the lifestyle of modern Chinese people.
By “economy of accompaniment” is understood economic activity in which consumers, striving to get rid of loneliness, find emotional support or enrich their social experience, purchasing goods or services related to accompaniment for money.
Since the “accompaniment economy” coincides with the emotional needs and expectations of young people, more and more young people are willing to pay for the desired “accompaniment,” thereby forming a brand new consumer market.
“At that time, my work was not going well, and my mood was very depressed. I did not want to take out my negativity on my parents or friends, but then I really needed someone to be nearby and someone I could talk to,” said Tian Yuan, who in November last year turned to the “rapid response operator” for the first time, whose services cost 150 yuan / about 22 USD / per day.
“Sometimes it’s not so important what exactly they tell you, the main thing is what they answer you. A quick reaction calms me down, and I feel that my emotions are not indifferent to someone,” the girl noted.
Thanks to such a virtual “friend,” the most difficult period in this girl’s life was left behind, and she is gradually returning to a stable state.
In recent years, the forms and content of the “accompanying economy” have been constantly expanding. For many people, one of the most important reasons for choosing this consumption model is a comfortable and calm atmosphere.
Student Van Zi, as an avid online game fan, gets enormous pleasure from interacting with virtual characters. “As soon as I log into the game, they are always online. I don’t have to worry about how to maintain relationships with them. And there’s no stress — like eating together, going for walks, and so on,” she said.
According to her, these “characters” will always be loyal to her and will never be made to suffer. And such a feeling of control and security is extremely difficult to obtain in real relationships.
According to the White Paper on the Economy of Loneliness, published by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, in 2024 the service market for companionship in China will reach 37.2 billion yuan.
According to forecasts by the Sinolink Securities stock company, in 2025 the “service economy” market in China will reach 50 billion yuan.
A professor at the Institute of Foreign Openness of China at the University of International Business and Economics, Sun Cze, noted that the “accompanying economy” covers various spheres of life, including tourism, medicine, entertainment, fitness, etc., forming a multidimensional industry that combines online and offline formats.
“This form of economy stimulates consumer spending on services, as well as creates jobs and promotes income growth, which overall significantly supports consumption in the country,” she said.
A research fellow at the Academy of Social Sciences of Shaanxi Province, Chen Guan, noted that “the ‘economics of accompaniment’ represents the result of the joint action of socio-economic development and the transformation of individual emotional needs. Proper regulation of its development has practical significance for strengthening social harmony and increasing the level of population well-being.”
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