China's employment landscape showcased remarkable resilience in 2024, with the creation of 12.56 million new urban jobs, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, ministry spokesperson Lu Aihong announced that the surveyed urban unemployment rate stood at 5.1 percent, a slight decrease of 0.1 percentage points from the previous year.
\"The employment situation remained generally stable,\" Lu stated, highlighting the effectiveness of China's employment policies amidst global economic uncertainties. By the end of 2024, more than 33.05 million people who had been lifted from poverty secured employment, reflecting significant progress in the nation's poverty alleviation efforts.
In addition to job creation, China saw substantial growth in social security coverage. Nearly 1.39 billion people are now social security card holders, including 1.07 billion digital social security card users. Social security cards, available in both physical and digital forms, have become integral in providing citizens with access to various government services.
Lu also emphasized the ministry's commitment to enhancing vocational skills across the workforce. Over 12 million individuals obtained vocational skill-level certificates or professional qualification certificates last year, strengthening China's skilled labor pool.
Looking ahead, the ministry announced plans to implement a targeted employment support program in 2025. This initiative aims to bolster key sectors, industries, urban-rural grassroots, as well as micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. Part of this effort includes establishing a mechanism for collecting and releasing job position information related to major projects.
To further support the workforce, the ministry will accelerate research and formulation of policies to enhance the appeal of the private pension system, encouraging more citizens to secure their financial futures.
Zhang Wenmiao, an official with the ministry, reported that by the end of 2023, approximately 70,000 human resource service agencies were operating nationwide, employing 1.06 million people. Throughout 2023, these agencies provided services to 300 million workers and 55.99 million employers, with about 40 percent of these employers in the manufacturing sector.
Youth employment remains a top priority for the ministry. Chen Yongjia, another ministry official, announced the introduction of a youth job creation program for 2025, focusing on boosting employment opportunities for college graduates. \"Throughout 2025, we will organize a series of activities to promote employment and entrepreneurship among young people,\" Chen said, underscoring the government's dedication to supporting the next generation of workers.
Reference(s):
China adds 12.56m new urban jobs in 2024, employment situation stable
cgtn.com
