Unemployment Becoming a Problem in China
The global economic crisis is causing serious unemployment issues in China and there are concerns about rising social tensions across the huge country. Currently, the employment situation is critical, and this impact (of the financial crisis) is still unfolding," Yin Weimin, China's social security minister, told reporters in response to a question on recent labour unrest.
The minister announced a series of measures to try to stave off unemployment and to help those who have lost their jobs, particularly among the more than 200 million rural migrant workers. The trouble has been most acute in southern Guangdong province, China's manufacturing heartland, where almost a fifth of all factories in major cities are expected to close by January alone, according to industry estimates.
Thousands of workers have recently gathered outside shuttered factories there, demanding unpaid wages and forcing intervention from local authorities. Experts have warned labour unrest could spike as migrant workers continue to lose their jobs. Yin said measures included helping the migrants find a job when they come to urban areas, for example by giving them information about available positions, and providing extra training for those returning home. Unemployment in China stands at 4%, and Zhang Xiaojian, vice minister of social security, said the government expected to hit 4.5% by the end of the year.
"But next year the registered (official) unemplyoment rate will certainly increase," Zhang said.
The official unemployment rate does not include the millions of migrant workers who are not registered in the place they live in. Zhang added that demand for workers in 84 cities across China in the third quarter of this year had fallen 5.5% the first third-quarter drop in "many years."
Levels of air pollution across parts of Hong Kong have reached the highest level since records began being kept, despite government efforts to improve the environment.
Read More
Care for some oceanfront property in Arizona? How about some forestland in the Chinese desert? A pair of Chinese forestry executives cheated investors out of $160 million by selling off forested plots in a barren Chinese desert region.
Read More
Baseball could one day have a future in China. It seems the same cannot be said for the baseball venues built for the Beijing Olympics.
Read More
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday she will travel to China after the New Year, her last scheduled trip before President George W. Bush's administration steps down.
Read More
Chinese officials think that hybrid vehicles will make up 10% of auto sales in China by 2012.
Read More