On March 18, the first "Creative, Innovative, Entrepreneurial" E-commerce Competition (ECC) was officially launched at a press conference held by China E-Commerce Association and the Ministry of Education, to build a platform for enterprise and employment among university students.

On March 18, the first "Creative, Innovative, Entrepreneurial" E-commerce Competition (ECC) was officially launched at a press conference held by China E-Commerce Association and the Ministry of Education.

This year graduates face grim employment prospects as a result of the global financial crisis. According to a survey conducted by the Social Survey Institute of China (SSIC), as of February the overall graduate employment rate is only 36 percent, far short of the target of 70 percent set by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

In the face of this crisis, Premier Wen Jiabao has said that finding employment for college graduates should be the top priority in the country's employment effort. According to a circular issued by the general office of the State Council on February 15, the Chinese government is implementing a wide range of measures to provide jobs for the nation's 6 million college graduates. Among them, encouraging collage graduates to start up their own businesses has been given a higher profile due to the collapse of vacancies under the economic slowdown.

According to Secretary of the Competition Committee Lu Guodong, the enterprise and employment-oriented, "Creative, Innovative, Entrepreneurial" E-commerce Competition (ECC), indeed proposes to stimulate students' interests and potential and cultivate their sense of innovation, enterprise, and team-work. The aim is to help them to a better understanding of what kind of workforce the market really needs and in due course to enable them to find a proper job when they graduate.

Addressing the press conference, Chairwoman of China E-Commerce Association Song Ling said: "Firstly, the purpose of holding this competition is to build a bridge connecting higher education and market demand – teaching students and setting up degree courses according to the actual demands of business. Secondly, most companies have been severely affected by the global financial crisis. However, as a new industry, E-commerce, the buying and selling of goods and services on the Internet, especially the World Wide Web, has huge potential for innovation and development in China. In addition, the start-up of E-commerce businesses has many advantages: lower costs and risks and a quicker path to profitability, so in relative terms it is easier for college students to start their own businesses in E-commerce industry."

Zhao Yaoxue, officer of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, said at the press conference: "It is obvious this competition will build a good employment platform for college students, and Chinese government departments will offer strong support to the initiative.

(China.org.cn by Ma Yujia, March 19, 2009)