The jobless rate this year is expected to be about 4 percent - below its target rate of 4.5 percent set at the end of last year.

Minister of Labor and Social Security Zhang Zuoji announced the targets yesterday at a national conference for labor and social security held in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province.

To meet the goals, Zhang urged labor and social security departments at all levels to include the development of labor markets in the overall local economic and social development plan with the aim of expanding employment.

Zhang expressed "serious concern" about employment in China with the population rising to more than 1.29 billion.

"China has a huge workforce, with about 60 percent of laborers in rural areas, but the employment problems are evident and urgent," Zhang said.

Zhang said the supply of labor will greatly overtake demand in the labor market in the years ahead.

Statistics from Zhang's ministry revealed that about 22-23 million laborers will need jobs in urban areas during the next three or four years. Only 8-9 million jobs are forecast to be available.

"Moreover, there are about 17 million surplus laborers in rural areas and they have compounded the difficulties in employment," Zhang said.

But Zhang said employment is still encouraging in China in the long run.

More convenient services will be provided to unemployed people so they can receive training or unemployment benefit payments with less hassle.

Zhang urged labor administration departments at all levels to map out their major tasks and help job seekers.

In urban areas, the ministry aims to achieve progress in building an employment service network at street and community level within two or three years.

Zhang said the ministry also plans to streamline administrative procedures relating to the issuing of unemployment insurance payouts and the procedure to register as unemployed.

(China Daily December 26, 2002)