Creating jobs always tops Premier Li Keqiang’s public policy agenda, which can been seen in VAT reform, support for small- and-medium-sized companies, and setting economy growth targets.

The Premier previously listed employment as “the top responsibility of the government” and “the fundament of people’s lives.”

When he visited the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security in May 2016, he said employment data is a significant basis for macroeconomic control.

As a developing country, China’s economy is still not balanced compared to different regions, so more work should be done to create jobs and raise the population’s average income, making sure everyone can benefit from economic development, the Premier said at a symposium.

“If employment is a big problem, it will hurt the economy as well as social stability,” he warned.

In 2016, 1.3 million jobs were created in China’s urban areas, making it the fourth consecutive year of such achievement even in the midst of a slowing economy.

At a news conference on March 1, 2017, Yin Weimin, minister of Human Resources and Social Security, appreciated it as one of the major achievements in China’s social-economic development last year.

International institutions also paid attention to the employment rate in China. Tom Orlik, Bloomberg’s Asian chief economist, recently said that employment is on an upward track in China’s high-tech and service industry.

According to a report issued by the European Commission, China’s strong employment data will promote continuous economic growth.