Urban unemployment on rise in China; minister "not optimistic"

Beijing - Unemployment in China's cities will increase sharply in the coming years, Labour and Social Security Minister Tian Chengping said. He said he expected an additional 10 million unemployed people in urban areas by 2010, official media reported Tuesday. An additional 50 million people will join the urban workforce by then but only 40 million jobs were expected to be created, he said. Such an increase in the numbers of the jobless would more than double the official urban unemployment of 8.49 million from 2005, the latest year that statistics were available. The urban jobless rate that year was 4.2 per cent, according to government statistics. The job situation now and for the foreseeable future is 'not optimistic,' Tian warned. He was speaking Monday at the Standing Committee of China's legislature, the National People's Congress, as it began looking at a bill that would promote employment, increase job training and counter workplace discrimination. 'A law on employment promotion is urgently needed,' Tian told lawmakers, as China sees growing numbers of laid-off workers, university graduates, demobilized servicemen and migrant workers in its cities. © 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

And Also

Look Back at the Worst Celebrity Breakups

Look Back at the Worst Celebrity Breakups - PopEater
Koobface using new tricks to infect this holiday season - The Tech Herald
Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special Preview - Cinema Blend
Britney Spears and Lady Gaga Cover Up, Strip Down for Elle - PopEater
A&E series 'Hoarders' and 'Intervention' premiere Monday, Nov. 30th, preview

Business

Business News

Urban unemployment on rise in China; minister "not optimistic"

And Also

Your Talkback on this Story

Similar articles

Latest Headlines in Business

Older Talkback

From Sites we Like

In Monsters and Critics

Corporate

The Fine Print