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Speakers:

Li Zhong, vice minister of human resources and social security 

Zhang Ying, director-general of the Department of Employment Promotion, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS)

Qi Tao, senior official of the Department of Old-age Insurance, MOHRSS

Chairperson:

Chen Wenjun, spokesperson of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) 

Date:

Aug. 25, 2022

Chen Wenjun:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. Today, we are holding the 24th press conference under the theme of "China in the past decade." We have invited Mr. Li Zhong, vice minister of MOHRSS, to brief you on the progress and achievements of China's employment and social security in the new era, and to take your questions. Also joining us today are Ms. Zhang Ying, director-general of the Department of Employment Promotion, MOHRSS, and Mr. Qi Tao, a senior official from the Department of Old-age Insurance, MOHRSS.

First, let's give the floor to Mr. Li Zhong for his introduction.

Li Zhong:

Friends from the media, hello. I am very pleased to attend today's press conference. Here, I'd like to express my gratitude to you for your interest in and support for the developments in China's employment and social security.

During the past decade of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has adhered to the people-centered development philosophy and prioritized delivering a better life to the people. In alliance with the overall work of the Party and the country as well as the new situation, new tasks and new requirements of the country's development, the CPC Central Committee has consistently sought truth from facts and done everything within its capacity. Following the ideas of holding on to the bottom line, highlighting priorities, improving institutions and guiding expectations, it has shored up the weak links in securing people's wellbeing, and ensured that public services are inclusive, meet essential needs and ensure basic living standards for people in difficulty, so that people can have a fuller, safer and more sustainable sense of fulfillment, happiness and security. General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to employment and social security work, underscoring that employment is the foundation of and pivotal to people's wellbeing, and social security is critical to good governance and the stability of the country. We will work to create fuller employment with higher quality, and make improvements to achieve a sustainable, multi-level social security system which covers the country's entire population, coordinates the needs of urban and rural areas, and is fair and unified. All regions and departments have been resolute in implementing and promoting the great, historic achievements in the country's employment and social security. This has effectively improved people's lives, strongly supported steady economic growth as well as social harmony and stability, and paved the way for achieving the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects on schedule.

Over the past decade, employment has remained generally stable and China, a large country with a population of over 1.4 billion, has achieved relatively full employment. The employment-first strategy has been fully implemented and the proactive employment policy has been constantly enriched and developed, with the guiding role of the employment-first concept significantly strengthened. Urban employment has expanded remarkably, with more than 13 million new urban jobs created annually. Historic changes have taken place in the urban and rural employment landscape, with urban workers accounting for more than 60% in 2021, up 13.8 percentage points from 2012. The employment structure has been constantly improved, and the tertiary industry has provided more jobs, seeing an increase from 36% of all jobs in 2012 to 48% in 2021. The unemployment level has remained low, and the surveyed urban unemployment rate has been generally lower than the expected target for control. Employment of key groups such as college graduates, rural migrant workers and people who have difficulty finding employment has been stable, and the number of migrant workers who have been lifted out of poverty has remained above 30 million. The legitimate rights and interests of workers have been effectively safeguarded, and labor relations have been generally harmonious and stable. The vocational skills of the workforce have been continuously upgraded, and the cultivation of skilled personnel has been consistently enhanced. A comprehensive public employment service system has basically taken shape. Recruitment campaigns such as the "Spring Breeze Action" and "Online Recruitment Providing More Than 10 Million Jobs in 100 Days" have yielded remarkable results, and the human resources service industry has grown in scale.

Over the past decade, China's social security system has entered the fast lane and become the largest in the world, with distinctive Chinese characteristics and comprehensive functions thanks to unremitting efforts. Focusing on helping those most in need, building a tightly woven safety net and establishing necessary institutions, we have advanced the development of sustainable, multi-level social security which will cover the entire population and meet basic living needs, with major breakthroughs being made in institutional reform and social security coverage being continuously expanded. The number of people covered by basic old-age insurance, unemployment insurance and work-related injury insurance increased from 790 million, 150 million and 190 million in 2012, to 1.04 billion, 230 million and 290 million, respectively, in June 2022, with an additional 250 million people covered by old-age insurance alone over the past decade. China's ability to provide social security has continued to increase. The accumulative surplus of social security funds for old-age insurance, unemployment insurance and work-related injury insurance has reached 6.9 trillion yuan, with annual revenue and expenditure exceeding 13 trillion yuan and market-based investment and operation funds exceeding 8 trillion yuan. We have kept the alliance of social security level with economic growth, and steadily increased social security benefits. A five-level administration and service network for handling social security has been basically formed to record, guarantee and serve people's whole life. The national social security public service platform has been put into operation, with the administration and services becoming visibly more regulated, standardized and advanced in applying information technology.

All these accomplishments should be attributed to the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and the scientific guidance of the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Embarking on a new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects, we should continue the Chinese mode of modernization and make strides toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Rallying closer around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, we will ground our efforts in the new development stage. We will follow the new development philosophy, foster a new development paradigm and strive to achieve fuller and higher-quality employment while pursuing overall high-quality development. A tiered social security system will be built comprehensively to promote social fairness, justice, and well-rounded human development, enabling all our people to take concrete steps toward common prosperity. 

Now, my colleagues and I are ready to take questions from our media friends. 

Chen Wenjun:

Thank you, Mr. Li. The floor is now open for questions. Please identify the media outlet you represent before raising questions.

CCTV:

We noticed that sustained progress had been made regarding employment and social security over the past 10 years, and people's well-being has been significantly enhanced. Can you share with us your thoughts on the years of endeavor? Moreover, is there any experience or practice that should continue for a long time? Thank you.

Li Zhong: 

Thank you for your question. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to guaranteeing and improving people's well-being and put forward a series of new thoughts, new views, and new judgments, charting the course and providing fundamental guidance for enhancing people's well-being in the new era. We have studied thoroughly and unswervingly put them into practice. The regularities and practices we will continue to observe and develop are as follows: 

First, we will continue upholding the Party's overall leadership, the fundamental political guarantee for our work. Taking a holistic approach to promoting the cause of the Party and the country, our Party has strengthened its organizational leadership and pooled strengths from various fronts to implement the employment-first strategy, all in a bid to make social security fairer and more sustainable. While coping with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and China-U.S. economic and trade frictions in recent years, the Party has made stabilizing and ensuring employment a top priority in our efforts to ensure stability on six key fronts and security in six key areas and successfully sustained overall stable employment. All facts demonstrate that only through strengthening the Party's overall leadership and resolutely implementing the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee can concrete steps be taken to improve people's well-being. 

Second, we will continue taking the people-centered approach, which is both the principle and purpose of our work. Employment and social security work involve the most pressing, most immediate issues that concern the people. Our Party remains committed to the belief that development is for the people, and the people should pursue it and share its fruits. Our efforts to stabilize and expand employment and improve the social security system have laid a solid foundation for the people's pursuit of a better life. It fully demonstrates that only through observing the people-centered development philosophy, considering the people's feelings, and ensuring the people are universally benefited can the people's actual demands be better responded to and their sense of gain, happiness, and security be further enhanced. 

Third, we will continue doing everything within our capacity, which is an important principle for doing a good job. Fully demonstrating the spirit of seeking truth from facts and proceeding from reality is a principle based on a thorough understanding of our country's prevailing reality and development phase. Our Party, committed to safeguarding and improving people's well-being through development, has set development as the foundation and prerequisite for solving employment problems. We will not do anything beyond the current development phase or our financial strength. Instead, we will gradually improve social security as the economy develops. Only through proceeding from national realities, observing regularities, doing everything within our capacity and paying attention to stability, consistency, and accumulation, can the work of employment and social security develop steadily long into the future.

Fourth, we will continue following the guidelines for the work related to people's well-being, that is, to meet people's basic needs, prioritize key areas, improve institutions, and guide public expectations. Composed with an integrated mechanism, the four aspects complement and mutually reinforce each other. Prioritizing meeting people's basic needs, our Party has made concerted efforts to ensure that public services are inclusive, essential needs are met, and guaranteed basic living standards for people in difficulty. More attention will be given to key groups, prominent problems, and critical links to improve employment and social security through making major breakthroughs. We will continue to uphold institutional guidance, advance reform and innovation with the times, and make our institutions more mature and stable. Balancing between ideals and realities, needs and possibilities, as well as immediate gains and long-term interests, we will try to create an environment that encourages a public expectation that advocates hard work in pursuing a better life. 

Both in the immediate future and for some time to come, the pressure on aggregate job creation and related structural issues will continue unabated. Social security coverage still needs to be expanded, and it remains a long-term major strategic task to realize fuller, higher-quality employment and improve the tiered social security system. We will continue to follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, deepen our understanding of the regularities governing employment and social security, and carry forward our experience and effective practices to promote the sound and sustained development of employment and social security. Thank you.

Jiemian News:

Employment is pivotal to people's well-being as it concerns the lives of every household. What has the general employment situation been like since the 18th National Congress of the CPC? What kinds of measures will be taken to achieve fuller and higher-quality employment? Thank you. 

Li Zhong:

I just mentioned that the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has highly valued employment since the 18th CPC National Congress and made it a top priority to ensure stability on six key fronts and security in six key areas. The employment-first policy has been strengthened, and historic achievements have been made in the past decade. The overall employment situation has been stable over the years, and our country, with a population of over 1.4 billion, has achieved relatively full employment. 

First, urban employment has continued to increase. More than 13 million urban jobs have been created annually, with the accumulative number in the decade reaching 130 million. The surveyed unemployment rate is generally lower than the expected control target. 

Second, the employment structure has been optimized. Historic changes have taken place in urban and rural employment structures. In 2021, 62.7% of employed people worked in urban areas. The tertiary industry has become the most significant job provider, and the inverted pyramid employment structure has gradually developed.

Third, the quality of employment has steadily improved. Salaries have increased, with employees' wages in urban entities in 2021 doubling those in 2012. Social insurance coverage has been expanded, and the rights and interests of workers in flexible employment have been further protected.

Fourth, the employment for key groups has been stable. Over the past decade, the overall employment of more than 80 million college graduates has remained steady. The total number of migrant workers has risen to 290 million, and the number of workers lifted out of poverty has remained above 30 million. Appropriate arrangements have been made for workers displaced due to overcapacity cuts and fishermen relinquishing their nets due to the fishing ban. Moreover, the employment of people unemployed or having difficulty finding jobs has been kept stable, not only serving and safeguarding reform and development but also ensuring that people's basic living needs are met.

Fifth, the supporting system has been steadily improved. The employment-first policy has been implemented innovatively and elevated to the status of a macro policy. The policy tools for reducing businesses' burdens and stabilizing and expanding employment have been enriched and improved. The lifelong vocational skills training system was initially set up, and the total number of skilled workers has increased to more than 200 million. The comprehensive public employment service system has been improved, providing employment and business startup services and support for tens of millions of employers and workers every year.

With the joint efforts of all parties, China's employment has maintained long-term stability, providing solid support for better livelihoods, economic development, and social harmony and stability. At the same time, as a developing country with the world's largest population, China has been facing long-standing pressure on aggregate job creation, more pronounced structural problems, and mounting instability and uncertainties. Therefore, employment still faces significant challenges.  

Next, we will firmly implement the decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, put into practice the people-centered development philosophy, continue strengthening the employment-first policy, and strive to achieve higher-quality and fuller employment. Specifically, we will give our priorities to "five focuses." First, we will focus on stabilizing and expanding employment. We will take employment as the priority in economic and social development, create synergy to stabilize employment through the coordinated use of fiscal, monetary, and industry policies, and support market entities to stabilize and expand employment. Second, we will focus on leveraging the role of business startups in boosting employment. We will keep optimizing the environment for innovation and entrepreneurship, provide more assistance to startups, improve employment and social insurance policies, and support the healthy development of flexible employment. Third, we will focus on ensuring employment for key groups. We will focus on key groups such as college graduates, migrant workers, and people having difficulty finding jobs. We will offer help according to defined categories, take targeted measures, and build a diversified assistance system. Fourth, we will focus on enhancing the quality of employment training services. We will improve the employment and unemployment service management system, launch large-scale vocational skills training, and make training services more targeted and effective. Fifth, we will focus on protecting workers' legitimate rights and interests. We will carry out demonstration programs to ensure harmonious labor relations, consolidate our gains in eradicating wage arrears, strengthen regulation on human resource markets, and create a sound employment environment. Thank you.

Red Star News:

This year the youth unemployment rate has remained high, and the number of college graduates reached another record high. The employment of young people has attracted wide public attention. What has the MOHRSS done to promote the employment of college graduates and other young people? What are the subsequent arrangements and plans? Thank you.

Zhang Ying:

Thank you for your questions. The employment of young people such as college graduates bears on people's well-being, economic development, and future of the country. Over the past decade, the total number of college graduates in China has continued to increase, with the employment rate of this group of people remaining relatively high, and employment situation generally stable. Meanwhile, the employment of college graduates faces both pressures from aggregate job creation and structural problems. Significantly since the beginning of this year, due to sporadic cases of COVID-19 in some areas, demands in job markets have decreased, some recruiting and job hunting events have been canceled or delayed, and some young people have encountered new difficulties in job hunting. This matter is very important to the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. The plan on boosting employment for the 14th Five-Year Plan period has a particular chapter concerning youth employment. The General Office of the State Council has issued opinions on supporting the employment and entrepreneurship of college graduates and other young people. A series of targeted policies and measures have been launched to help them find jobs and start businesses through every feasible means. The MOHRSS will implement these policies and prioritize the employment of college graduates and other young people. Centering around the employment service campaign, we will strengthen policy support, services, assistance to those in need, and the protection of rights and interests, and boost employment and business startups through multiple channels. The steps can be summarized as "four strengthening measures and one simplifying measure."

First, policy support will be strengthened. We will offer subsidies for ensuring and expanding employment and for paying into the country's social insurance pool, in a bid to encourage enterprises to hire more. We will implement policies such as tuition compensation and higher salaries for college graduates working in less-developed and remote areas and carry out programs for them to work in rural areas in the fields of agriculture, education, medical care and poverty alleviation, so as to provide more jobs at grassroots level. We will provide policies such as secured loans, tax and fee reductions, and social insurance payment subsidies to support business startups and flexible employment.

Second, strengthen the organization of employment. We will continue to establish employment service platforms for college graduates and host a large number of online and offline job fairs. We will continue to provide career guidance, job recommendations, training, and internship opportunities for youth, including college graduates. Additionally, we will organize apprentice training and training related to new careers for those who need to increase their experience and skills. 

Third, help those in difficulties. We will continue to launch paired assistance for those unemployed graduates and provide individual solutions and preferential policies such as priority in job recommendations, internships, and training. For those unemployed for a long time, we will establish a special plan to provide practical guidance and differentiated guidance so that they can find work quickly. 

Fourth, strength rights protection. We will continue to maintain market order by investigating and sanctioning employment discrimination, irregular intermediaries, and false employment. Report and complaint channels will continue to be smoothed to protect college graduates' lawful rights and interests.

Fifth, streamline employment procedures. We will continue the policy to cancel the signature and stamp procedure required from public employment service institutions on employment protocols and graduates' registration with public institutions. We will continue to facilitate the job hunting and employment of college graduates by prolonging periods for mailing personal files and permanent residency registration and by promoting universal recognition of health checkup results.

In general, the MOHRSS will spare no effort to support and help the youth, including college graduates, to get employment or start a business. Thank you.

21st Century Business Herald:

The payment of pensions has been a focus of attention among citizens. How is the basic old-age insurance funds for enterprise employees doing? Additionally, you established a national planning system for old-age insurance this year and readjusted the basic pension payment for retirees. How will this and unexpected factors such as the pandemic affect pension payment on time and in full? Thank you. 

Qi Tao: 

The pension concerns the life of hundreds of millions of retired people. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, according to the general arrangements of the CPC Central Committee, we increased the basic pension several times. Despite downward pressure on the economy and the impact of the pandemic in 2022, we increased the basic pension payment by 4% and paid extra pensions. The old-age insurance undertakings have developed at a fast pace with a more stable system and a more sustainable fund after more than 30 years of reform and development, particularly since the 18th CPC National Congress, which laid a solid material foundation for the pension payment on time and in full.

Whether pensions can be paid on time and in full depends on the following aspects. 

First, balance. The income of enterprise employees' basic old-age insurance funds in 2021 was 4.4 trillion yuan, and the payment 4.1 trillion yuan. That is to say, the fund was balanced with a certain amount of surplus. The fund has been in smooth operation since 2022. 

Second, cross-provincial adjustment. In January, the national planning system of basic old-age insurance was launched, providing greater support to provinces facing difficulties in funds. A total of 124 billion yuan was transferred in the first half year of 2022, which assisted the pension payment in those provinces. 

Third, surplus. We are capable of securing pension payments with a 5.1-trillion-yuan surplus of basic old-age insurance funds for enterprise employees. 

Fourth, subsidized revenues. 650 billion yuan in central government funding was channeled into enterprises employees' basic pension fund this year, continuing to provide greater help. Western areas and old industrial bases are the priorities of support. In addition to national planning, local mechanisms were established to provide financial subsidies. 

Fifth, long-term reserve pension. The national social security fund has 2.6 trillion yuan as a strategic reserve, and the central government has replenished social security funds with 1.68 trillion yuan in state-owned assets.

By taking a chain of comprehensive measures, we will continue to reform and improve the old-age insurance system to be fairer and more sustainable, thus ensuring the pension payment in due time and in the full amount. Thank you. 

Yicai:

A series of social security policies were introduced in recent years, which greatly relieved the burden on businesses. This year, a range of policies related to social insurance was rolled out to ease enterprises' difficulties. How have their effects been? Thank you.

Qi Tao:

In recent years, the CPC Central Committee lowered seven times social insurance premium rates so that the general premium rate of five social insurances declined from 41% to 33.95%, and enterprises' social insurance contributions from 30% to 23.45%. These measures substantially reduced enterprises' social insurance fees. In the face of the pandemic in 2020, the CPC Central Committee released policies that provided an unprecedented temporary reduction or remitting to enterprises' social insurance costs and cut their contribution by 1.54 trillion yuan in the year. All of these helped enterprises to stay afloat during difficult times. 

This year, according to the plans of the CPC Central Committee, a package of favorable policies related to social insurance was implemented in a bid to stabilize the economy, ensure employment, and improve people's livelihoods. First, we prolonged the policies to reduce premiums of unemployment and work-related injury insurance, which saved enterprises' costs by 100 billion yuan in the first seven months. Second, we allowed deferred payments of old-age, unemployment, and work-related injury insurance on a time-limited basis. The policy covered enterprises from five industries in severe difficulties, including catering, retail, tourism, and transportation, and 17 industries in difficulties, including equipment manufacturing and automobile manufacturing, and all micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and the self-employed facing temporary troubles in areas hit hard by the pandemic. From the end of April to July, a total of 49.4 billion yuan in social insurance premiums were deferred, benefiting more than 600,000 businesses. Third, we increased the proportion of unemployment insurance premium refunds for MSMEs that stabilized employment from 60% to 90% and large enterprises from 30% to 50%. In the first seven months, a total of 39.7 billion yuan was refunded to 6.67 million enterprises. Fourth, we initiated unemployment insurance subsidies to support enterprises in middle- and high-risk areas and in five industries facing severe difficulties to stabilize and expand employment. During the first three months of the policy, 2.91 million enterprises received a total subsidy of 13.5 billion yuan. 

Next, we will seriously implement various social security relief policies, closely follow the implementation of policies for the deferred payment of social insurance premiums in various places, and promptly study and solve new situations and problems encountered during the implementation process. We will further execute the quick action to implement the policies, realize the "apply and you can enjoy" policy for delayed payment of social insurance premiums, actively promote "need not to apply and you can enjoy" policy for refunding unemployment insurance premiums for enterprises that make no cuts or minimal cuts to staff numbers and for job retention subsidies, and accelerate releasing policy dividends for reducing burdens and stabilizing jobs. Thank you.

The Poster News APP:

The speed of aging in China is accelerating, and the issue of elderly care has attracted more and more attention. In terms of developing a multi-level and multi-pillar elderly care system, what has the MOHRSS done in the past 10 years? What are the next measures? Thank you.

Li Zhong:

The old-age pension insurance you are concerned about is an important part of the social security system. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China's social security system has undergone its greatest reforms and the fastest development. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, while focusing on enhancing fairness, adapting to mobility, and ensuring sustainability, we have made overall coordination efforts to promote the construction of a social security system that covers the entire population, integrates urban and rural areas, and is fair, unified, and sustainable. These achievements have attracted worldwide attention.

First, breakthroughs were made in the construction of the institutional system. During this period, we carried out the top-level design of old-age pension insurance and issued an overall plan for the reform of the pension insurance system. We unified the pension insurance system for urban and rural residents, forming two basic pension insurance system platforms for urban workers and urban and rural residents. We implemented the reform of government office and public institution pension schemes and brought the schemes into line with enterprise schemes. We issued basic pension insurance fund investment management measures and carried out market-oriented investment operations. We have established a central regulation system for enterprise pension insurance funds and fully realized the provincial-level overall planning of pension insurance. At present, we are speeding up the implementation of the overall national pooling of pension insurance. We have established an occupational annuity system and introduced a personal pension system, filling the gap in the multi-level and multi-pillar pension system.

Second, the coverage continued to expand. Focusing on the goal of covering all the people with social security, we have implemented a coverage plan for all the people and precisely promoted key groups of people to participate. From 2012 to the end of June 2022, the number of people under the basic old-age pension insurance system has increased from 790 million to 1.04 billion, and the number of people covered by old-age pension insurance has increased by 250 million in the past decade.

Third, the level of benefits has been steadily improved. Taking into account factors such as price changes, employee wage growth, fund affordability, and financial conditions, we have continuously adjusted the basic pensions for retirees from enterprises, government offices, and institutions since 2012 and established and improved a mechanism for determining and rationally adjusting basic pension benefits. Since 2014, we have raised the national basic old-age pension standard of basic pension insurance for urban and rural residents four times.

Fourth, the management service level has been significantly improved. With pension insurance at its core, social security records, guarantees, and serves a lifetime of a person. We have further standardized and normalized IT-based constructions of management services, and it is more convenient and efficient for people to process social security affairs at nearby places, online, and in a quick manner. As of the end of June 2022, the number of social security card holders exceeds 1.36 billion, of whom more than 575 million are holders of electronic social security cards. The cumulative number of visits to the national social insurance public service platform has exceeded 3.6 billion, which effectively ensures easier access to cross-provincial services through a single portal.

Fifth, its role as a "shock absorber" for economic operations is prominent. In 2020, in order to effectively respond to the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we implemented an unprecedented policy of "fee cut, exemption, delay, reduction, refund, and subsidy." We have reduced the burden on enterprises by 1.54 trillion yuan in three social insurances, including pension insurance. This year, we have further introduced a relief policy to help enterprises, which will allow them to postpone their payment for contributions to the three social insurances, including pension insurance, as a temporary measure. These policies are of higher value, can benefit more people and businesses, and are widely recognized by enterprises and people from all walks of life.

Next, we will adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, follow the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on the top-level design of pension insurance, and actively adapt to the situations and requirements of the aging population, new urbanization, and diversification of employment methods. We will continue to push forward the major reform of the social security system and continuously expand the coverage of social security, especially to include more people in flexible employment into the scope of social security. We will actively promote the rule of law in social security and pay more attention to the safety of social security funds as well as protecting and increasing their value. We will strive to improve the level of detail of social security management and the level of high-quality services and solidly promote a fairer and more sustainable social security system. Thank you.

Xinhua News Agency:

General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed on more than one occasion that the fellow citizens who still live in hardship remain most dearly attached to his heart. What specific measures has the MOHRSS taken to help people in need to find jobs? Thank you.

Li Zhong:

Helping the people in need to find employment is related to the well-being and the basic living needs of the Chinese people. As you said, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that those fellow citizens who still live in hardship remained most dearly attached to his heart. He pointed out that we should pay close attention to people in straitened circumstances, extend care to them with respect and love, and do our best to solve their problems. All regions and all relevant government departments have earnestly enforced the instructions and made every effort to help those in difficulty to gain employment. Here is a set of data: Over the past 10 years, with help, a total of 55.01 million unemployed people and 17.68 million people in difficulty have found work. At the same time, some people in difficulty have heavy family burdens, low skill levels and weak market competitiveness, all of which makes it relatively difficult for them to find employment. Therefore, it is the unshirkable responsibility of government departments to help them find jobs. The MOHRSS will work with relevant departments to consistently increase employment assistance and improve the mechanism to strengthen efforts to help people in need find employment.

First, improve the standing book documenting information relating to employment assistance to bring qualified people in difficulty into the scope of employment assistance in a timely manner. At present, people with difficulty to find jobs in different provinces mainly include people of higher age, people with disabilities, people who live on subsistence allowance or have been unemployed for more than one year, as well as people who find it difficult to secure work due to reasons such as land loss.

Second, strengthen policy support so as to provide strong support for people in difficulty to find employment, start businesses and improve their abilities. We reduce taxes and fees and subsidize social insurance contributions for enterprises that employ people in difficulty. Support such as guaranteed loans and interest discounts are given to people in need who are engaged in self-employment and social insurance payment subsidies are given to those in flexible employment. Vocational training subsidies, vocational skills assessment subsidies and living subsidies are given to those who participate in vocational skills training.

Third, strengthen service guarantees. We adhere to the combination of daily assistance and concentrated assistance, and established a working mechanism featuring target identification, dynamic management, classified assistance and return visits to provide tailored one-to-one assistance for those in need. At the same time, we also continue to hold monthlong employment assistance activities over the New Year's Day and Spring Festival holidays, focusing on helping people in need find a job.

Fourth, strengthen efforts to ensure basic livelihood. For those who are having difficulty finding work through market channels, public service positions such as in security, cleaning and gardening are provided.

Recently, in response to some urgent problems affecting people with employment difficulties, we have cooperated with the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the China Disabled Persons' Federation to organize an employment assistance activity under the theme "heart-warming" to resolve employment difficulties to help the long-term unemployed, graduates from families in financial difficulty, people with disabilities and people in urgent need of employment to provide them with job positions, services, policies and warmth. The activity was launched in early August this year, and we have so far visited more than 570,000 people in need and helped more than 200,000 people find jobs. I would like to take this opportunity to invite people from all parts of society to pay active attention to and participate in this activity, and give more support in employment assistance to help those in need ease their temporary difficulties. Thank you.

China News Service:

Employment has played an important role in winning the battle against poverty, and we should continue to leverage its positive role in consolidating and expanding the achievements of poverty alleviation and pushing forward rural revitalization. What specific measures will we take in the next step?

Zhang Ying:

Thank you for your question. When one member of a family gets a job, the whole family will get rid of poverty, so increasing employment is the most effective and direct way to shake off poverty and a basic measure to consolidate the achievements of poverty alleviation. In the battle against poverty, the MOHRSS and other relevant departments have made every effort to increase the income of the poor labor force by facilitating their employment as migrant workers and employment nearby with strengthened employment services, vocational training, and rights protection. The number of poor people getting employed as migrant workers increased from 12.27 million in 2015 to 32.43 million in 2020, and more than two-thirds of registered poor people got out of poverty mainly by working as migrant workers and engaging in local industries. Since the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy, we have stepped up our efforts, increasing the number of people out of poverty employed as migrant workers to 32.23 million in the first half of this year. At the same time, some people who have been lifted out of poverty do not have stable jobs, and thus, there is still the difficult task of stabilizing their employment. We will resolutely implement the requirements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council that poverty alleviation responsibilities, assistance, policies, and supervision be continued so as to ensure overall stability in employment for people who have been lifted out of poverty and help consolidate and enrich the achievements of poverty alleviation and rural revitalization. The main policies and measures are as follows.

First, we have worked hard to guide the migrant workers to flow in an orderly manner. We have improved mechanisms, including the labor collaboration between the eastern and western regions, made the labor flow more organized, and helped those out of poverty who are willing to work outside their hometowns do so. For those who need to go out together for work, locality-to-locality transportation services have been provided based on actual conditions.

Second, we have worked hard to stabilize employment. We have promoted the implementation of policies for stabilizing employment, such as postponing the payment of social insurance premiums and refunding unemployment insurance premiums for companies that make no cuts or minimal cuts to staff numbers, and strengthened follow-up services, stabilizing employment of people out of poverty. At the same time, we have provided services, including vocational guidance, job referral, and skills training in a timely manner and given priority to helping these people in need get transferred to new jobs or get employed.

Third, we have worked hard to develop nearby channels. In line with the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy and urbanization, we have boosted industrial development, developed workshops that provide employment assistance, encouraged people to return or go to villages to start businesses, supported flexible employment, and made good use of rural public welfare posts, continuously increasing nearby and local job opportunities.

Fourth, we have worked hard to ensure employment in key areas. We have increased funding, project, and policy support and organized regular recruitment activities in key counties to receive assistance in pursuing rural revitalization and in relocation areas for people from inhospitable areas, and sent targeted job information to these areas, ensuring that employment in key areas is no lower than the overall level. Thank you.

Cover News:

Recently, there has been significant attention paid to discrimination against people who have recovered from COVID-19 in the job market. How does the MOHRSS respond to it? How should the rights of people who have recovered from COVID-19 be protected? Thank you.

Li Zhong:

Resolutely preventing and addressing discrimination in employment is an important measure to stabilize employment. The MOHRSS has paid great attention to, and taken swift actions against, employment discrimination some time ago against people who have recovered from COVID-19. We have taken a series of measures and specially issued a notice. I will invite Ms. Zhang to share more.

Zhang Ying:

Thank you for your question and your attention to this issue. Resolutely preventing and stopping discrimination in employment is an important part of the work to stabilize employment and a necessary requirement for maintaining social fairness and justice. Recently, some companies and organizations in some localities have abused tools for testing result queries, such as health codes, and discriminated against people who have recovered from COVID-19 in employment, seriously infringing on their equal rights to employment.

The MOHRSS has paid great attention to these issues and acted quickly. We and the National Health Commission issued an emergency notice on July 29 to resolutely regulate against employment discrimination against people who have recovered from COVID-19, making detailed regulations and work arrangements to prohibit the discrimination. Specifically, it can be summarized as one "no … may" and four "it is prohibited."

The "no … may" refers to that no organization or individual may unlawfully query COVID-19 nucleic acid test results unless it is out of epidemic prevention and control needs and the period for querying the test information is set in a scientific and reasonable manner.

The four "it is prohibited" refers to that it is prohibited to publish recruitment containing discriminative content against people who have recovered from COVID-19; it is prohibited to refuse to recruit people who have recovered from COVID-19 for the reason that they were tested COVID-19 positive; it is prohibited to discriminate against people who have recovered from COVID-19 in hiring and working; it is prohibited to arbitrarily fire or dismiss people who have recovered from COVID-19 in violation of the law.

For employers and human resources service agencies violating the above provisions, human resources, social security, and health departments at all levels will take effective measures such as administrative inquiry, public exposure, and administrative punishment, and will deal with any violation resolutely.

On Aug. 10, the MOHRSS and the Supreme People's Court issued a notice on strengthening administrative and judicial collaboration to safeguard equal rights of people who have recovered from COVID-19 to employment, requiring strengthening the handling of employment discrimination cases, accepting relevant litigation in accordance with the law, reasonably allocating burdens of proof, and improving the efficiency of judicial protection in the process of filing, handling, and settling.

We will continue to work hard to ensure equal rights of people to employment. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

That's all for today's press conference. Thank you to all the speakers and friends from the press. Goodbye! 

Translated and edited by Wang Qian, Xu Xiaoxuan, Ma Yujia, Liu Sitong, Xu Kailin, Yuan Fang, Liu Jianing, Zhang Rui, Zhou Jing, Yan Bin, Li Huiru, Zhang Jiaqi, Huang Shan, 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.