BEIJING: China will continue to prioritize employment promotion during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), building on progress made in stabilizing the job market, officials said on Saturday.
Figures released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security show that about 10.52 million people found jobs in urban areas in the first nine months of 2026, achieving 87.7 percent of the annual target. The surveyed urban unemployment rate averaged 5.2 percent in the first eight months of the year.
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), more than 62 million people found jobs in urban areas, while the surveyed urban unemployment rate remained around 5.2 percent.
The ministry will prioritize full and high-quality employment, striving to provide more adequate job opportunities, a fairer working environment and more harmonious labor relations, while improving the structure of the job market and the balance between labor supply and demand over the next four years, said Li Zhong, a spokesman and vice-minister of human resources and social security, at a news conference in Beijing on Saturday.
“The ministry will take more proactive fiscal and financial measures in the coming years and respond more effectively to the impact of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, on the job market,” Li said.
He added that the government will place greater emphasis on stabilizing employment in labor-intensive and service industries while developing emerging industries to create more employment opportunities.
The ministry will also work to address structural mismatches between labor supply and market demand during the 15th Five-Year Plan period by rolling out more effective and practical vocational training programs, Li said.
In addition, it will also improve employment services and strengthen oversight of the human resources market to promote high-quality employment.
Regulations and mechanisms for protecting the rights of flexible and gig workers will be improved to ensure fairer hiring practices, timely and equitable pay, social insurance coverage and adequate rest.
Employment support for key groups, particularly college graduates, will remain a priority.
Song Xin, director of the ministry’s employment promotion department, said the ministry will continue to encourage employers to retain existing jobs and expand recruitment by offering tax cuts and subsidies.
The ministry will also work to ensure that government departments and State-owned enterprises maintain their regular recruitment plans and that government-supported employment programs remain available to young people.
These include Xibu Jihua, or the Westward Project, where college graduates and postgraduate students volunteer for fixed-period grassroots positions in education, healthcare, agriculture and public services.
“We will improve job-hunting services for students and graduates and help them enhance their employability through practical training programs, including those focused on artificial intelligence skills. Companies are also encouraged to offer internships to help students develop their skills,” said Song, adding that there will be a crackdown on recruitment and hiring discrimination.
The ministry will also continue to cultivate new types of skilled professionals in line with technological advances and the needs of industrial upgrading, helping expand employment opportunities.
Vocational training is another key measure to address structural imbalances in the job market. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the ministry aims to provide government-subsidized vocational training to 10 million people annually and help 40 million people obtain government-recognized skills certificates over the five-year period. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
