Huanqiu Times reported that the State Council Information Office on October 10 held a press conference in its series on getting the 15th Five-Year Plan period off to a strong start. An official of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security described high-quality development in employment and social security. What follows is our own summary of Huanqiu's report; the figures are as announced by officials.

The headline number is 10.52 million new urban jobs from January to September, which Huanqiu says equals 87.7% of the full-year target. The surveyed urban unemployment rate averaged 5.2% over January-August. On that basis, officials judged the employment situation to be generally stable.

Seven measures for the 15th Five-Year Plan period

According to Huanqiu, seven initiatives are planned: a support plan for young people including university graduates; a plan to raise job quality for flexible and new-form workers; an employment response to the development of artificial intelligence; a skills-training campaign called Skills Light the Way; an action to promote employment of migrant workers; high-quality public employment services; and a Human Resources Services Plus integrated-development initiative.

Notably, artificial intelligence and new forms of work each get their own line, which suggests officials treat the effect of technology on occupational structure as a direct policy topic. Young people, graduates and migrant workers are also addressed separately.

The line remains employment first

Officials reiterated that the employment-first strategy will continue and that the aim is high-quality, full employment. The briefing reads mainly as a policy explanation ahead of the new five-year period.

The same briefing also released social insurance enrollment figures, which we cover in a separate article. This report relies on Huanqiu Times; detailed figures can be checked against later releases from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.