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Jackson Yee is China’s most valuable pop star – can he achieve crossover international success?
- With more than 70 million followers on Weibo, Jackson Yee is one of C-pop’s biggest stars, and considered ideal to crack the Western market
- Others believe C-pop stars are all about the packaging and don’t have the musical ability to compete with Western stars
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At the United Nations Economic and Social Council Youth Forum in New York last month, a young Chinese man gave an impassioned speech about the concerns of young people.
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He asked policymakers to consider the real needs of the next generation and provide them with the skills needed to change the world.
The young man calling for youth empowerment was neither an activist nor a member of a high-profile concern group. He was Jackson Yee, 18, currently one of the biggest pop stars in China.
“Young people should not just be job seekers but also job creators,” said Yee, who was representing China at the forum and gave his speech in English. “We stand ready to make sure we play our part. Let’s all come together. Let’s go.”
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Yee’s appearance at the forum came just six months after K-pop supergroup BTS appeared at the United Nations for the launch of Generation Unlimited, where group leader RM also called for youth empowerment.
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