Jinan Times APP:

Employment is an issue that everyone pays attention to. How was the employment situation in China in October? Thank you.

Fu Linghui:

Thank you for your question. Employment is crucial to people's wellbeing, and the CPC Central Committee attaches great importance to it. Since the beginning of this year, all regions and departments have earnestly implemented policies and measures to ensure high-quality and full employment, and strengthened support for businesses to create and stabilize jobs and help people find new jobs. They are focused on boosting employment among key groups. These efforts have helped maintain overall employment stability. In October, the national urban surveyed unemployment rate continued to decline, and employment for key groups such as rural migrant workers remained stable. The overall stability in employment has not changed, creating favorable conditions for improving people's livelihoods and promoting general stability.

First, the national urban surveyed unemployment rate continued to decline. In terms of monthly changes, due to the influx of graduates into the labor market, the national urban surveyed unemployment rate showed seasonal increases in July and August. As graduates gradually found jobs, the national urban surveyed unemployment rate in September stood at 5.2%, down 0.1 percentage point from the previous month, and continued to decline in October, further dropping to 5.1%.

Second, the unemployment rate among the core working-age population declined. The employment situation for the main labor force aged 30-59 was generally stable. The urban surveyed unemployment rate for the labor force aged 30-59 was 3.8% in October, down 0.1 percentage point from the previous month, and it has remained stable throughout the year.

Third, the unemployment rate of key groups such as rural migrant workers decreased. The urban surveyed unemployment rate for population with non-local agricultural household registration was 4.5% in October, down 0.2 percentage point from the previous month and lower than the national average. With the graduation season ending, youth employment has improved, and the surveyed unemployment rate has continuously declined.

Overcoming increasingly severe external pressures and economic headwinds, China's employment situation remained generally stable. This is the result of the combined effects of factors such as steady economic growth, increased employment in the service industry, and the implementation of employment stabilization policies, which is very difficult to achieve. In the next stage, we will be able to enjoy favorable conditions such as stable economic performance, stronger new quality productive forces, and the effectiveness of employment stabilization policies, however, certain industries and key groups will still face employment pressure and difficulty. We need to focus on promoting stable and healthy economic development, and step up efforts to transform and upgrade traditional industries while cultivating and expanding emerging industries. We should actively increase employment opportunities and ensure the implementation of various employment stabilization policies. We should also strengthen vocational skills training, optimize public employment services, better match the supply and demand in the labor market, and drive high-quality and sufficient employment, ensuring and improving people's livelihoods. Thank you.