Source: CCTV.com

03-10-2008 11:28

China says it will do even more to improve living standards. And it will achieve this by creating more jobs and expanding the social security network.

Tian Chengping, Minister of Labor and Social Security.(CCTV.com)

That was the message at a news conference held by the National People's Congress.

Labor and Social Security Minister Tian Chengping said in the past 5 years, 51 million urban jobs were created in the country.

And expenditures for employment programs totaled more than 66 billion yuan during the period. But the Minister warns the country still faces huge challenges in employment over the next few years.

Tian Chengping, Minister of Labor and Social Security, said, "The main reason is that, new labor force increases by more than 20 million every year, including a huge group of excess labor in the rural areas that need to be transferred into the urban workforce. But only some 12 million new jobs can be created every year, and the trend will last for quite a long period."

Minister Tian said the country will spare no efforts to expand employment in the coming years.

Measures will be taken in six aspects. These include continuing vigorous employment policies, strengthening training in vocational skills, improving the public employment service system and establishing an early warning system on unemployment.

The minister also said the country will further improve the social security system covering both urban and rural residents. One focus of the efforts will be to extend coverage to include more rural migrant workers.