China will take steps to keep the unemployment rate under 4.5 percent next year, according to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.
The goal will be achieved by creating 8 million jobs, ministry sources told Xinhua news agency.
The ministry believes that community services, such as community security, nursing staff and household appliance maintenance, will provide reemployment opportunities for laid-off workers.
Statistics from the ministry suggested that 6 million new jobs were created between January and October this year, with 1.5 million of them reemployed laid-offs.
It is believed that the unemployment rate can be controlled under 4 percent by the end of the year, when the total number of unemployed will be 6.9 million.
China's booming vocational education and service training opportunities can improve the quality of professional skills and creativity of employed workers.
The current system of offering preferential policies to laid-off workers will be extended to urban unemployed, while formalities of administrative examination and approval will be stream-lined to encourage the flow of laborers and self-employed people.
(eastday.com December 31, 2001)
