China Youth Daily:
My question is about employment. In the first half of 2021, China achieved 63.5% of its annual target of creating new urban jobs. Still, the employment pressure remains relatively high in the second half of this year, as there are 9.09 million new graduates from universities and colleges. The surveyed unemployment rate among those aged between 16 and 24 also stood at around 15%. How can we cope with such employment pressure in the second half of 2021? Thank you.
Yao Jingyuan:
In the first half of this year, China achieved 63.5% of its annual target of creating new urban jobs, but the employment of college graduates is indeed a big issue. This year, there are 9.09 million new graduates from China's universities and colleges, which is a record high. The figure last year was 8.74 million. Due to the impact of the pandemic, the employment of some graduates was delayed to this year. Thus, we also need to address the employment issue of some of last year's graduates. In addition, if there weren't the pandemic, hundreds of thousands of graduates would pursue further study overseas. But this figure also plummeted now. At the end of last year, I suggested that more graduate students be enrolled so as to provide opportunities and conditions for their further study. This year, the total number of the employment supply is unprecedented. As the graduation season is underway, I suggest Party committees and governments at all levels attach great importance to the employment of graduates and spare no efforts to create jobs. Flexible employment is an excellent measure as it provides sufficient choices for every young person. Flexible employment requires further policy support, such as the social security, so that young people in this sector can feel reassured when chasing their dreams. Measures should be taken to allow every graduate to land their ideal jobs and a satisfactory salary.
You've raised a very important question, and this should be a major task for Party committees and governments at all levels in the second half of this year. Currently, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council has attached great importance to the issue. I believe the next six months will see solid and effective results.
Xing Huina:
Today's briefing is hereby concluded. I thank the two experts for their excellent explanations, which I believe is of great help for all the friends from the media. Goodbye.
Translated and edited by Wang Yiming, Wang Qian, Li Xiao, Zhang Rui, Gong Yingchun, Li Huiru, Wang Mengru, Huang Shan, Zhang Liying, Zhang Junmian, Cui Can, He Shan, Yuan Fang, Xu Xiaoxuan, Wang Zhiyong, Zhu Bochen, Zhang Tingting, Liu Qiang, David Ball, Jay Birbeck, and Tom Arnstein. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.
