China's employment situation 'grave': minister

BEIJING  -- Human Resources and Social Security Minister Yin Weimin warned of a "grave" employment situation in China on Tuesday, but said government measures to boost employment have taken "initial effects".

Minister of Commerce Chen Deming (2nd L), Minister of Industry and Information Technology Li Yizhong (3rd L) and Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Yin Weimin (4th L) attend a press conference on "Boosting domestic demand, employment and economic growth" on the sidelines of the Second Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2009. [Xinhua]

With the big drop in company posts, a large number of migrant workers who lost their jobs, and the labor-intensive industry falling as major victim amid global financial downturn, "the employment situation in China is very grave," he said at a press conference on the sidelines of the parliament's annual full session.

In face of the grave situation, the Chinese government has taken a series of measures, which have shown "initial effect", he said.

In the first two months of this year, China saw "a reverse on the dropping trend" in new labor posts in cities, he said.

The number of new laborers stood at 690,000 and 930,000 in January and February, compared with 550,000 and 380,000 in November and December last year, according to Yin.

China recorded the first rise in company posts in February after it dropped for four consecutive months from October last year, he said.

"It's only a moderate increase of 1 percent, but it's good news," he said.

"But can we then judge from the two pieces of good news that our employment situation is turning for the good? I think we should keep on observing the overall economic development," he said.

China's export continued the downward tendency in February and will face a "grim" situation in the "coming foreseeable months", said Chen Deming, Minister of Commerce, at the conference .

"Affected by the global economic recession, China has undergone negative growth in both import and export since last November," said Chen.

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