Beijing promotes low-paid college grads to startup CEOs

Shanghai

QUITTING her job as receptionist, joining rock bands and chancing her tattoo-sleeved arm at small business ventures would once have branded college graduate Ding Jia as a rebel in China.

Now she can claim state endorsement as a "creative". "I haven't had a formal job in years," said Ms Ding, 31, sitting in her tiny coffee and cocktails bar on a trendy Shanghai street.