Chinese State Councilor Hua Jianmin on Wednesday called for more efforts to provide employment to the country's jobless.

Hua said at an employment meeting that China has made great achievement last year, as it provided 10 million new job opportunities for unemployed people, marking the fastest growth of job opportunities in recent years.

But he said the country is still facing pressure over employment as more than 800 million of the country's 1.3 billion population have to work for a living.

He said employment is the top priority of China's economic development, and that the country will focus on helping laid-off workers and fresh college graduates find jobs.

He also said the country will continue to perfect its work insurance system and provide better vocational training in 2007.

Source: Xinhua