Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C front row)
talks to students at the Beijing University of Aeronautics and
Astronautics, China, on Dec. 20, 2008. Wen arrived in the university's
library and chatted with students there on Saturday after attending the
closing ceremony of a year-long exchange program between Chinese and
Japanese young people. (Xinhua Photo) Photo
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BEIJING, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao has pledged to university students that the government would seek to
provide more jobs for graduates and "put the issue of graduate employment
first."
"Your difficulties are my difficulties, and if you
are worried, I am more worried than you," Wen told the students at the Beijing
University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Wen made the remarks in a surprise visit on Saturday
afternoon after attending the closing ceremony a year-long exchange program
between Chinese and Japanese young people together with former Japanese Prime
Minister Fukuda Yasuo.
He said the country is in a difficult period as the
global financial crisis has continued affecting the country's real economy. The
government has begun measures to sustain the economy, such as the
four-trillion-yuan stimulus package and interests cuts.
"We are considering taking more measures at proper
time. But currently we are most concerned about two issues, migrant workers
returning home and employment for graduates," Wen said.
The financial crisis and China's slowing economic
growth has forced 4 million migrant workers to return to their rural homes,
according to a report from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The report also said as of the end of this year, 1.5
million graduates are likely to have failed to find jobs, and the country could
see an ever tougher employment situation in 2009 as there will be about 6.1
million seeking jobs.
"We are also studying a package to guarantee jobs for
graduates and it will kick in soon", Wen said. "The government will encourage
major enterprises to increase recruits from graduates, seek more jobs in
grassroots, offer opportunities of further study and skill training."
Scientific research projects conducted by companies,
institutions and universities should recruit graduates, and companies must not
lay off graduates even if times are hard, he added.
Wen reiterated "confidence", saying it is much more
important than gold and currency.
BEIJING, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's State Council, the
Cabinet, Saturday urged local governments to create job opportunities for the
migrant workers who had been unemployed and returned to their home towns due to
the impact of the global financial crisis.
In a circular distributed among provincial
governments and ministry-level government bodies, the Cabinet said the migrant
worker issue was a pressing and important task as it was related to the
country's economic and social development as migrant workers were under
increasing unemployment pressure as the financial crisis had a negative impact
on domestic enterprises. Full story
BEIJING, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- China will face increasing
employment pressure next year due to slowed economic growth, decline in export
and an increasing number of bankruptcies, a top academic institution says on
Monday.
The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences(CASS), China's
leading academic institution, said in its 2009 blue book that the country's
employment would be affected in spite of a planned 4 trillion yuan (584.8
billion U.S. dollars) stimulus package to boost economy. Full story
BEIJING, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- For Jin Zhenghao,
this November has been the most stressful month in his 25 years of life.
A financial engineering major at Xiamen University in
southeast China's Fujian Province, Jin is desperately trying to find a job
before graduating in June 2009.
November is when the school gave him time to market
himself to potential employers. Jin has sent resumes to nearly 30 companies,
resulting in five interviews. So far, he has received no job offers. Full story
