The Chinese government aims to create millions of new jobs in 2018 by promoting ‘new growth engines’ of services and technology, according to Reuters, with unemployment a key focus of the year’s agenda.
The National and Development Reform Commission (NDRC) reports that China must provide jobs for 9.7 million unemployed and over 8 million leaving college. The country’s urban-registered employment level currently stands at 3.9% and has remained stable in the last year despite an otherwise slowing economy.
Meng Wei, a representative of the NDRC, said in a news conference on Sunday that protecting jobs was fundamental to China’s stable growth policy, adding, “we will implement an employment-first strategy and more proactive employment policies…and vigorously promote employment and entrepreneurship.”