China’s employment policy generates 13 million jobs per year

In a study session of the Political Bureau of the China Communist Party Central Committee (PCP), held in May 2024, Party Secretary-General XI Jinping made an important intervention on employment policy in the country.

The study states that employment policy is based on three assumptions: employment is fundamental to the well-being of people, the development of the economy and society, and the long-term stability of the country.

The document presented, with the name of “promoting full and high quality employment”, ensures that employment has been China’s top priority since 2012 (18th Congress). Therefore, China creates an average of 13 million jobs per year.

Xi Jinping says that in the new age, the party has acquired deeper knowledge of labor laws and adopts effective practices to generate high quality jobs through development.

Job generation, the study highlights, takes place in a fair and harmonious work environment in labor relations. At the same time, there is also startup creation to complement employment policy.

This policy, however, faces risks and challenges: How to maintain, at the same time, employment and development in a society with declining population growth rate, population aging and regional disparities?

PCP policy assumes that people want to evolve, have more quality of life, stable job assurance, fair wages, reliable social security protection and occupational security.

To this end, it is necessary to boost motivation, initiative and creativity, to ensure that life improve through diligence, hard work, but not seek personal benefits without contributing or living on the work of others.

The goal and mission of full -employed and quality policy for people centered on people are supported by five points:

1. Employment first: High quality full use is the fundamental objective of economic and social development. For this, it is essential to develop new productive forces, transform and modernize industries, foster and strengthen emerging sectors. The goal is to plan the future industry, modernize the industrial system and companies with intensive labor use. Fiscal, monetary, investment, industrial and regional policies need to be coordinated and have synergy with the type of job development;
2. Solve structural employment problems: China’s main challenge is the mismatch between high quality supply and demand for human resources. The country needs to adapt to the scientific and technological revolution, prioritize education – higher education and vocational education aimed at the development of human resources, with respect to all work and all professions;
3. Reinforce employment for key groups: The priority is to employ newly graduated and young people, taking into account that the market dynamics, through new urbanization and rural revitalization, defines the allocation of employment;
4. Structural job reforms: Eliminate bottlenecks and obstacles, have a public employment service with universal access and also stimulate individual initiatives to constitute new startups;
5. Reinforce the protection of workers’ rights and interests: Chinese policy should strengthen labor laws and regulation, improve social security, protect wages, rests, licenses, professionalization and benefits. In addition, it is necessary to protect flexible jobs, ensure accident insurance, avoid illegal layoffs. Always be present that employment is vital to family and nation. Thus, all CCP committees and governments of all levels should put job creation and public well-being on top of the agenda. On the other hand, it is necessary to develop employment theory, assimilate and share successful successful practices and strengthen China’s voice and global weight in this area.