Society
China
should supply jobs for 26 percent of the world population by 9.6
percent of natural resources (energy, water, farmland, etc.), 9.4
percent investment capital (counted by PPP), 1.85 percent of
intelligent property. In other words, China should provide 730 million
jobs while all the developed countries provide only 430 million jobs.
By
the end of 2001, the total of employed people in China numbered 730.25
million, or 9.4 million more than at the end of 2000. 239.4 million
were employed in urban areas, an increase of 7.89 million persons over
that at the end of 2000. New progress was made in the implementation of
reemployment project. By the end of 2001, the number of laid-off
workers of state-owned enterprises was 5.15 million, a decrease of 1.42
million persons as compared with that at the end of 2000. In the year
2001, about 2.27 million laid-off workers found new jobs through
various measures. By the end of 2001, the urban unemployment rate
through unemployment registration was 3.6 percent. On 10 June, a new
statistics report showed that the urban unemployment rate through
unemployment registration increased to 3.7 percent by the end of March.
The Society and Science Institute estimated that real unemployment is
between 5 and 6 percent. If various aspects were taken into
consideration, the figure can reach to 10 percent. By the end of 2008
employment has risen to 744.40 million jobs. Unemployment rate has
remained at 6.1 % for 2008.
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China
attached great attention to unemployment after mass protests by jobless
workers seeking overdue wages or adequate welfare benefits in early
March. Work on employment was strengthened because of the accession
into the WTO, this will force millions more out of work.
Social
security system was consolidated and improved to relieve unemployment
pressure. The state raised the level of the three security systems in
1999: the basic living expenses for urban laid-off workers, the
unemployment insurance system and the minimum living expense assurance
system in urban areas. By the end of the year 2001, some 103.55 million
staff and workers participated in the unemployment insurance program,
and a total of 3.12 million people received their monthly unemployment
insurance. Some 106.3 million staff and workers and over 33.46 million
retirees participated in the basic retirement security program, and
76.29 million staff and workers participated in the basic health care
program. Ninety percent laid-offs from the state-owned enterprises have
enjoyed social security. Most of retirees received their pension
monthly from social institution. 11.23 million people who are under
minimum living expense enjoyed government relief.
The
government has re-examined its development strategy and adjustment of
unemployment issues. On the one hand, the government fostered a dynamic
private sector to create millions of jobs for those laid off and new
job seekers. On the other hand, the government will draft the policy in
the light of improving employment instead of purely pursuing economy
growth.
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