Hong Kong Bauhinia Magazine:

Employment is pivotal to people's wellbeing and a core concern for veterans. May I ask what measures the MVA has taken to assist in the employment of veterans? What considerations are being made for the next steps? Thank you.

Pei Jinjia:

Thank you for your questions. As you just mentioned, employment is pivotal to people's wellbeing. General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the employment of veterans. During his inspection trip to Inner Mongolia in June of this year, he specifically emphasized the need to focus on promoting employment for groups such as college graduates, veterans, and migrant workers. Earnestly implementing the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, the leading Party members group of the MVA has convened several specialized sessions to study and deploy related work. In line with this year's unique circumstances, a series of policy measures have been introduced, and various methods have been taken to promote the employment of veterans. Currently, the overall employment situation for veterans remains stable. We have primarily undertaken the following initiatives:

First, we have focused on employment training. We consider employment training as a fundamental task to improve the quality of employment. We have selected over 4,000 distinctive training institutions nationwide to organize various adaptive and skills training programs to enhance the employment capabilities of veterans.

Second, we have streamlined access to employment information. We have launched a special campaign called the Special Action for Employment Services for Veterans and established a dedicated website to promptly and accurately announce job vacancies, providing employment information to veterans. In total, we have organized over 7,000 job fairs, offering recommendations for 4.5 million employment positions.

Third, we have expanded employment channels. Veterans, who have received specialized education, training, and major tests in the military, are valuable human resources. We promote outstanding veterans to join village committees and Party branches and become part of the teaching staff in primary and secondary schools. Additionally, we have a special recruitment program for veterans in firefighter recruitment. We also encourage veterans to start businesses in their hometowns, creating employment opportunities for other veterans through their entrepreneurial endeavors.

Fourth, we have provided guidance to veterans to make good use of employment policies. With joint efforts from the Ministry of Education, we have opened channels for the elevation of veterans' academic qualifications. At the same time, we have also introduced some preferential tax policies together with relevant departments. These policies encourage veterans to engage in self-employment and more enterprises to hire veterans, which effectively promotes their re-employment rates.

At present, the international economic environment is grim and complex, and domestic demand is quite insufficient, so more efforts need to be made this year. Next, we will work with dedication to implement the guidance and requirements made by General Secretary Xi Jinping, especially to reinforce training programs to help veterans become better equipped. Meanwhile, we will ensure smooth access to employment information and broaden employment channels to provide more jobs for ex-service members. We also advise that retired service members transform their career mindsets, continue to demonstrate their hard-working and persevering spirit from the military, take root in all walks of life, shine in their new posts, and make substantial contributions to socialist modernization. Thank you.