More than 10.5 million urban Chinese are expected to find jobs this year, exceeding the target of nine million set by the National Development and Reform Ministry.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Security has continued its active employment policy to promote the reemployment of laid-off workers and provide vocational training to those with difficulties in finding work, particularly rural migrant workers.

To help farmers better adapt to the competitive environment, the ministry has provided free information, vocational education and nearly three million job opportunities this year.

China has also expanded social security coverage in 2006. In addition to pensions and unemployment insurance, reemployed people have been offered medical insurance.

The government has also encouraged the private sector, including labor-intensive industries, service industries and small and medium-sized businesses, to create jobs by offering tax rebates and subsidies.

China would continue to be troubled by unemployment, said the Ministry of Labor and Social Security's 2006-2010 development outline.

Most of the employment pressure stemmed from workers laid off from state or collective businesses, a rising number of college graduates, rural migration and farmers forced out of their livelihoods by industrial development or urbanization.

The government aims to keep the registered unemployment rate in cities and towns below five percent, 0.8 percent higher than at the end of 2005, by creating job opportunities for an additional 45 million people, according to the outline.

Source: Xinhua