China Adds 12.56 Million New Urban Jobs in 2024, Employment Remains Stable
China's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security announced on Tuesday that the nation has created 12.56 million new urban jobs in 2024, marking a significant achievement in bolstering employment.
According to the ministry, China's surveyed urban unemployment rate stood at 5.1 percent in 2024, a decrease of 0.1 percentage points from the previous year. \"The employment situation remained generally stable,\" said Lu Aihong, spokesperson for the ministry, during a press conference.
Lu highlighted that by the end of 2024, over 33.05 million people who had been lifted from poverty were now employed, underscoring the country's ongoing efforts to enhance livelihoods.
The ministry also reported that China's social security card holders reached nearly 1.39 billion by the end of last year, including 1.07 billion digital social security card users. Social security cards are available in both physical and digital forms, and many individuals hold both types.
In addition, the ministry has strengthened the standardized management of vocational competence assessments. \"Over 12 million individuals obtained vocational skill-level certificates or professional qualification certificates last year,\" Lu added.
Looking ahead to 2025, the ministry announced plans to implement a targeted employment support program focusing on key sectors, industries, urban-rural grassroots, and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. The program aims to establish a mechanism for collecting and releasing information on job positions related to major projects.
Efforts will also be made to accelerate the research and formulation of policies to enhance the appeal of the private pension system.
By the end of 2023, there were 70,000 human resource service agencies operating across the country, employing 1.06 million people. Zhang Wenmiao, an official with the ministry, noted that throughout 2023, these agencies provided services to 300 million workers and 55.99 million employers, with approximately 40 percent of these employers in the manufacturing sector.
To address youth employment, particularly for college graduates, the ministry announced it will introduce a youth job creation program this year. \"Youth employment remains a top priority,\" said Chen Yongjia, an official with the ministry. \"Throughout 2025, we will organize a series of activities to promote employment and entrepreneurship among young people.\"
Reference(s):
China adds 12.56m new urban jobs in 2024, employment situation stable
cgtn.com
