Figures from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) point to robust employment levels in China’s urban centres for the first half of 2018.
At a press conference held on 23 July MOHRSS spokesperson Lu Aihong said that (卢爱红) that during the period from January to June China added a total of 7.52 million new urban job positions, for an increase of 170,000 compared to the same period last year and more than half the full year target for 2018.
“In the first half of this year the employment situation was still very good,” said Lu. “China’s employment situation is steady overall, and improving amidst stability.”
As of the end of the first half China’s nationwide urban registered unemployment rate was 3.83%, for a year-on-year decline of 0.12 percentage points and the lowest level seen in a number of years.
The national urban surveyed unemployment rate was 4.8% in June, commensurate with the preceding month as well as marking the third consecutive month that it’s remained under 5%.
China is also making advances in its efforts to expand the social welfare net, with the number of people covered by basic aged care, unemployment insurance and occupational insurance reaching 925 million, 191 million and 230 million respectively as of the end of June.
The total revenue of China’s basic aged care, unemployment and occupation injury funds was 2.65 trillion yuan in the first half of 2018, for a YoY rise of 19%, while their total expenditures were 2.15 trillion yuan, for a YoY rise of 18%.
