BEIJING, Jan. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- The total number of self-employed people is estimated to be more than 100 million in China, accounting for 40 percent of urban employed population, an official with the Ministry of Labor and Social Security said.

    The increasing number of self-employed is one of the major changes in employment in Chinese society, said Wang Dongjin, vice minister of labor and social security.

    People have gradually gotten rid of long-term and frozen employment. Even in state-owned enterprises the relationship between company and employee has loosened, Wang said.

    On the other hand more and more people have preferred to work without long-term employment contracts and frequently changed jobs,just like the self-employed, he added.

    In China the self-employed people not only included professionals like lawyers, writers, freelancers and interpreters but also housekeepers, wage workers and some migrant workers.

    The self employed have a different lifestyle than traditional employees and face problems with social securities, Wang said.

    The ministry said early last month that the government will work to include more self-employed people into the social securitynetwork. Enditem