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Two Sessions 2024
China

China targets hi-tech and private sectors to drive job creation

  • Human resources minister says structural issues are holding back growth in the overall employment market
  • But demand remains robust in Ai, big data and some service industries, she says

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China’s human resources minister says there is demand for skilled workers in AI and big data as well as some service sectors. Photo: AFP
Mia Nulimaimaitiin Beijing
China is planning a multipronged approach to tackle unemployment and move up the industrial value chain, including more support for private firms and training more people for the fast-emerging hi-tech sector.
On the sidelines of the “two sessions” in Beijing on Saturday, Human Resources and Social Security Minister Wang Xiaoping said Beijing aimed to train more people in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI) and big data to meet the demand from the hi-tech industries of the future.

“China’s overall employment pressure is yet to ease, with its structural issues still needing to be solved,” Wang said on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

“However, it is worth noting that there is robust demand for talent in AI and big data,” she said, adding that there was also growing demand from its service sector including elderly care and tourism.

The minister also pledged to increase support such as secured loans and tax breaks for private companies and businesses looking to recruit.

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Wang’s assessment comes as the country grapples with a sluggish job market, especially for young people.

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