Social security insurance is taking off in China with more than one in ten people covered by pension schemes.

Figures from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security show 150. 77 million people were covered by pension schemes by the end of June, up from 112.03 million at the beginning of 1998.

In the same period, the number of unemployment insurance policy holders increased from 79.61 million to 100.8 million.

The number of medical insurance policy holders stood at 100.94 million by the end of June.

(Xinhua News Agency August 2, 2003)