Millions of jobs created despite COVID-19 epidemic

The nation was able to create millions of jobs last year despite the impact of the novel coronavirus epidemic, and the government will continue to make stabilizing employment a top priority this year as challenges in job market remain.

Premier Li Keqiang said at a news conference on Thursday that the government didn't set a GDP growth target last year due to uncertainties, but a goal of creating 9 million new urban jobs was not only met but exceeded.

Meeting employment targets will help the economy grow, Li said.

"Under the firm leadership of the CPC and the unity of market entities, we've pulled through the hard times," he said. "There were about 11.86 million urban jobs created, and the economy saw a 2.3-percent growth. Incomes are also better than expected."

Li stressed, however, that the job market still faces great pressure this year, with about 14 million new job seekers estimated to enter the market this year.

College graduates will make up about 9.1 million of this year's job hunters, which will also consist of retired military staff members, according to Li.

"We still have to find job opportunities for migrant workers, which total over 270 million," he said.

He said that employment will continue to regarded as a top priority for the government, and other policies should contribute to job creation because as the economy rebounds, more job opportunities will be created, which will in turn boost economic growth.

Li said the goal this year is to create over 11 million jobs in urban areas, and he hopes to exceed that target.

He stressed that the government will enable market entities to play the primary role in stabilizing employment and expanding new channels for employment in addition to some official programs.

He took flexible employment as an example, which is common in online shopping and delivery services. Flexible employment has seen strong momentum amid the epidemic and has boosted the growth of some traditional industries.

"There are about 200 million people have been involved in flexible employment, with some of them working several jobs. The government should come out of institutionalized methods to secure their health and potential job-related injuries," he said.

"We have 1.4 billion people, and workers are the most abundant resources. We Chinese are hardworking and resilient people who will put our full talent into any opportunity we seize. I believe we can fulfill common prosperity by our efforts and diligence," he said.