Chinese vice premier stresses boosting employment for college graduates

Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, speaks at a teleconference on boosting employment for college graduates in Beijing, capital of China, May 11, 2023. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang on Thursday urged concrete efforts to help college graduates find jobs or launch businesses of their own.

Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a teleconference on the matter.

Demanding accuracy and effectiveness in implementing policy measures to stabilize employment, Ding emphasized exploring more channels of employment and issuing subsidies that have been pledged, so that companies have more incentives to hire.

Graduates who are willing to start businesses should be given credit support, while state-owned enterprises should ensure they hire no fewer college graduates than the previous year, he said.

The country should carry out projects that open up posts at the primary level for college graduates, and encourage them to work in urban and rural communities, according to Ding.

More effort should go into helping groups of job seekers that are experiencing difficulties, he said.

Ding also stressed preventing and rectifying employment discrimination, as well as guiding universities to optimize the arrangement of disciplines.