China to expand injury insurance program for new-occupation workers

BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- China will expand its pilot occupational injury insurance program to fully cover platform companies in the ride-hailing, rapid delivery and intra-city freight sectors this year, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security said Tuesday.

The expanded program will be implemented across 31 provincial-level regions, according to the ministry.

Starting July, nine companies from the ride-hailing sector, including Meituan's ride-hailing platform, and five from the rapid delivery sector will be brought into the program.

Small and medium-sized platform enterprises registered and operating within a given province or its neighboring provinces will also be included within the year.

Launched in July 2022, the program provides workers in new forms of employment with critical protections in the event of severe workplace accidents, covering more than 27 million people.

New forms of employment refer to jobs emerging with the rise of the internet and the digital economy, such as food delivery couriers, ride-hailing drivers and online marketers, who rely on internet platforms for their work.

China currently has 84 million people engaged in such work. They play a significant role in serving people's livelihoods and helping maintain the smooth operation of the economy.