China to face pressure to ensure enough jobs this year

[BEIJING] China will face pressure to ensure sufficient job creation this year, vice premier Ma Kai said on Friday, even after authorities beat targets and created more than 13 million jobs last year.

The government should increase coordination between employment and economic policies and encourage job creation through innovation, Mr Ma said at a State Council meeting on employment on Friday.

The registered urban unemployment rate was 4.02 per cent at the end of 2016.

China targeted 10 million new urban jobs in 2016, and said on Monday it hoped to create 50 million new jobs over the five years to 2020 and keep unemployment below five per cent.

REUTERS