Fast economic growth has again proved effective in boosting the
country's employment. However, to pursue sustainable development,
the authorities should focus efforts on job creation that is in
line with the country's energy-saving and pollution-reduction
goals.
Latest statistics from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security
indicate that the country has created 6.29 million new urban jobs
in the first half of the year, accounting for 70 percent of the
year's target.
Such strong employment growth is clearly a pleasant result of
China's robust economic expansion.
It is also encouraging that the average income of urban
residents increased 14.2 percent year-on-year while farmers earned
13.3 percent more. That means the strong momentum of wage growth
will continue. It was reported that the total wages of urban
workers in the country rose 13.5 percent annually between 2002 and
2006.
Expanded employment and rising wages are crucial to improving
people's living standards. But the current rosy employment prospect
does not guarantee any slackness in creating more lasting and
decent jobs.
Labor shortages in China's coastal regions have been frequently
observed in recent years. This temporary phenomenon seems in line
with a long-term demographic curve that points to an end of labor
oversupply in the foreseeable future.
Yet, at present, the country's employment pressure remains
heavy. The amount of newly added laborers will average 20 million
between 2006 and 2010 while there is still a surplus of some 120
million laborers in rural areas.
Moreover, the country's ongoing efforts to change the growth
model means policymakers need to strike a balance between job
creation and energy conservation and environmental protection.
Extensive growth of some energy-consuming and polluting
industries used to be an easy way to absorb surplus laborers. But
as the country tightens its energy and environmental standards,
growth of such industries might be checked. And forced closure of
industrial polluters may even add to local unemployment
pressure.
Under such circumstances, the authorities should speed up
efforts to create a favorable climate for the development of the
service sector. A booming service sector is not only an ultimate
answer to China's employment problem, but also a requirement for
economic growth and social development.
(China Daily August 7, 2007)