Beijing (TDI): China has created 59.21 million new urban jobs since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025), exceeding the government’s target of 55 million, Human Resources and Social Security Minister Wang Xiaoping said Friday.
Speaking at a conference, Wang noted that the average surveyed unemployment rate in cities over the past four years stood at 5.3 percent, below the official ceiling of 5.5 percent. She stressed that stable employment has been a key factor in maintaining economic and social stability.
Wang acknowledged, however, that the period has also brought “significant challenges and difficulties,” with slowing growth and structural mismatches in the labor market. To counter pressures, Beijing issued specific guidelines to promote high-quality and full employment, which local governments and agencies have implemented, according to Global Times.
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Wang said that more than 470 billion yuan has been allocated in employment subsidies, along with 138.9 billion yuan in job stabilization rebates. At the same time, entrepreneurship has been encouraged through training, incubation programs, and services, with the number of newly registered market entities averaging more than 10 million per year.
Social security coverage has also expanded. The number of people enrolled in basic pension insurance nationwide has reached 1.072 billion, an increase of over 73 million since the end of the previous five-year plan. Coverage now exceeds 95 percent, compared with 91 percent earlier.
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Wang emphasized that these achievements came despite a complex international environment and tough domestic reforms, underscoring the government’s commitment to ensuring stable and broad-based employment.
