China achieved a significant milestone in 2024 by creating 12.56 million new urban jobs, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. The announcement was made on Tuesday, highlighting the nation's steady progress in employment despite global economic challenges.
The surveyed urban unemployment rate stood at 5.1 percent, marking a 0.1 percentage point decrease from the previous year. \"The employment situation remained generally stable,\" stated Lu Aihong, spokesperson for the ministry, during a press conference.
By the end of 2024, over 33.05 million people who had been lifted out of poverty were gainfully employed, showcasing China's efforts in eradicating poverty and boosting the workforce. Social security card holders reached nearly 1.39 billion, including 1.07 billion digital card users, reflecting the country's embracing of digital technologies. \"Social security cards are divided into physical and digital types, with many people holding both,\" Lu added.
The ministry also reported that over 12 million individuals obtained vocational skill-level certificates or professional qualification certificates last year, as part of efforts to strengthen the standardized management of vocational competence assessments.
Looking ahead, the ministry announced the implementation of a targeted employment support program in 2025. The program aims to support key sectors, industries, urban-rural grassroots, and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises by establishing a mechanism for collecting and releasing information on job positions related to major projects. Additionally, policies will be accelerated to enhance the appeal of the private pension system.
By the end of 2023, 70,000 human resource service agencies were operating across the country, employing 1.06 million people. According to ministry official Zhang Wenmiao, these agencies provided services to 300 million workers and 55.99 million employers throughout 2023, with approximately 40 percent of the employers in the manufacturing sector.
The ministry emphasized a focus on youth employment for the coming year, particularly for college graduates. \"Youth employment remains a top priority,\" said ministry official Chen Yongjia. \"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
