Diversity in Young Talent Mobility and Retention Dynamics in China’s Sustainable Rural Economic Transformation: A Case Study of Yuan Village

To mitigate persistent urban–rural disparities and facilitate comprehensive rural development, the Chinese government institutionalized the Rural Revitalization Strategy. This national policy framework systematically addresses five critical domains of rural development: (1) industrial revitalization, (2) talent revitalization, (3) organizational capacity building, (4) cultural heritage preservation, and (5) ecological conservation. Among them, talent cultivation serves as both a fundamental objective and critical resource for the sustainable rural economic transformation. However, the existing research and practice have disproportionately emphasized industrial and ecological aspects, largely neglecting the acute talent shortage. This study bridges this gap by adopting a population mobility lens to categorize young talent types contributing to Chinese rural economic transformation and analyze their mobility trajectories and resource exchange dynamics. Drawing on an integrated theoretical framework combining Push–Pull Theory and Existence–Relatedness–Growth Theory, as well as empirical evidences from Yuan Village in Shaanxi Province, this research has four key findings. First, there are three distinct young talent categories that have emerged in Chinese rural economic transformation: urban-to-rural young talents, native young talents, and rural-to-rural young talents. It is noteworthy that the rural-to-rural young talent represents a novel flow pattern that can expand our conventional understandings of Chinese population mobility. Second, differential push–pull factors shape each category’s migration decisions, subsequently influenced by their existence needs, social relatedness, and growth requirements as outlined in ERG Theory. Third, through heterogeneous resource exchanges with villagers, committees, and communities, these talents negotiate their positions and satisfy their expectations within the rural socio-economic system. Fourth, unmet exchange expectations may precipitate talent outflow, which will further pose sustainability challenges to revitalization efforts. Additionally, the long-term impacts of the intensified social interactions between talent groups and local residents, as well as their generalizability, require further examination.