As the midday sun beats down on Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, a fascinating scene unfolds outside the glass-and-steel office towers that house China's tech elite. Delivery riders pulling up on their electric scooters find themselves surrounded not by the usual office workers, but by groups of eager children mostly aged 10 to 14, each sporting a QR code necklace like a badge of honor.

In a well-practiced dance of efficiency, drivers quickly select their runners, scan a code, transfer a yuan or two (around $0.1-0.2), and hand off their precious cargo—hot lunches destined for harried office workers dozens of floors above.

This unexpected solution to urban delivery challenges emerged organically from Shenzhen's unique landscape. Its dense cluster of skyscrapers creates a perfect storm of logistical headaches: interminable elevator waits during lunch rushes, labyrinthine building layouts that confound newcomers and punishing algorithms that penalize drivers for even slight delays. Schoolchildren's small size lets them weave through crowded lobbies, their energy fuels quick sprints and their summer schedules mean abundant availability.

Many parents and educators applaud the initiative, seeing it as a welcome alternative to screen addiction that teaches practical life skills. Yet concerns persist. Safety advocates point to near-misses as children dart between parked scooters and busy streets. Some child welfare experts question whether a 10-year-old should be racing against the clock in crowded office towers.

Li Kangni (Hebccw.cn): Children using the summer break to deliver takeout has its merits. The simple practice of delivering food from point A to point B actually tests a comprehensive range of skills. First is the commercial acumen to identify demand, which allows children to discover profitable opportunities. Handling deliveries to different areas and floors of the building, meticulously planning routes and schedules, and communicating effectively with those who have ordered the food all help hone children's practical and adaptive abilities.

However, given they're teenagers, the potential risks involved here warrant careful consideration.

These young couriers face genuine risks in their daily work—weaving through crowded high-rises and competing for elevator space. There's also the unsettling possibility of encountering strangers with malicious intent. Whereas in reality the odds of such incidents may be extremely low, we must nonetheless acknowledge these underlying vulnerabilities.

Moreover, food delivery constitutes a commercial transaction. Unclear lines of responsibility could easily lead to disputes if orders are not delivered promptly or correctly.

Bi Ge (Chengdu.cn): The personal safety of minors is undoubtedly the most pressing issue. Some children grab delivery orders by the roadside where vehicles pass and then run between high-rise elevators. If they fall, are injured, or even have an accident, who will bear the responsibility?

When a customer orders takeout, he or she is essentially paying for a service agreement with the delivery platform and driver. Now, however, this agreement has been quietly modified, with a child taking over the final stretch of the delivery.

When deliveries go wrong—whether to the wrong address, with spilled contents, cold food or missing orders—the question of accountability remains unresolved. This uncertainty highlights why all stakeholders, parents, delivery workers, food platforms and society as a whole, must confront the inherent risks of this unregulated system.

Children need to learn and develop, but it should be in a safe, standardized and well-regulated environment. BR

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon

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