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.

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.