BEIJING — China's human resources authority has given official recognition of 16 new professions to keep pace with economic and technological development, according to a statement.

The new professions, mostly in the emerging industries and service sectors, include intelligent manufacturing technicians, industrial internet technicians, virtual reality technicians, supply chain managers, artificial intelligence trainers, all-media operators, respiratory therapists, among others, according to the statement jointly issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and other departments.

As the Chinese economy is shifting toward high-quality development, new jobs requiring new skills and knowledge have appeared in various industries.

The release of the new jobs could boost the development of related industries, increase employment, and strengthen vocational education and training, the statement said.

This was the second time that China added new professions to its occupation list. China released the first batch of 13 new professions in April 2019.