Chinese State Councilor Hua Jianmin on Friday urged local
governments and business sectors to improve services to help more
people find jobs.
"Employment remains an arduous task this year despite impressive
achievements made last year," Hua said during a nationwide meeting
on employment.
In 2006, more than 11.8 million Chinese urban residents got new
jobs, a record high driven by a 10.7-percent gross domestic product
rise.
Yet, statistics showed at least 13 million new job opportunities
need to be created annually in urban areas for laid-off workers,
university graduates, demobilized servicemen, and migrant
workers.
Hua encouraged privately-owned enterprises, labor-intensive
industries and service sectors to create more jobs.
Hua also called on governments at all levels to improve the
unemployment insurance system and enhance employment services.
"We should help the disabled and college graduates to find
jobs," he said.
"We also should further improve employment situation for rural
migrant workers and protect their legal rights," Hua said.
A total of 2.67 million people found jobs in China's urban areas
in the first quarter this year, almost 30 percent of 2007's goal of
nine million, according to the Ministry of Labor and Social
Security.
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(Xinhua News Agency June 2, 2007)