China aims to create more new urban jobs in 2021

Li said this at the country’s 2021 Government Work Report at the opening of the fourth session of the 13th National People’s Congress, China’s top legislative body. 

“We will continue to improve the employment-first policy to enhance its performance,” said Li, adding that the country will work to keep the employment situation stable, provide adequate fiscal, tax, and financial policy support to businesses that do not cut jobs or only cut a small number of them. 

In addition, the government will create employment opportunities for key groups such as college graduates, ex-service members, and rural migrant workers, support the development of new forms of employment and broaden the scope of the use of vocational skills training funds. 

With the policy to create 11 million new urban jobs this year, compared with the 9-million target set for 2020, analysts said the country has officially entered into a post-pandemic period, and government policy in the employment market will also gradually normalise. 

READ: China created 11.86 million new jobs in 2020

Guo Wei, vice director of the Research Office of the State Council, said the 11-million target is the same as the 2019 goal. “As the economy is still in the recovering process, the market situation remains complicated and severe, and various uncertainties are still increasing. To accomplish this goal, the task this year may be very arduous, and even greater efforts are needed,” he said. 

Last year, China managed to create 11.86 million new jobs, significantly higher than the 9-million target, in spite of the impact brought on by the pandemic, according to Global Times.