The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) said Monday that the country created 9.36 million jobs in the first three quarters this year, and helped another 4.09 million laid-off workers re-employed.

MOHRSS spokesman Yin Chengji said at a news briefing that by the end of September China had a registered unemployment rate of four percent, with about 8.3 million being unemployed.

About 215 million workers joined the nationwide urban pension system, nearly 274 million participated in the basic medical care system, 122 million were in the unemployment insurance mechanism, 135 million were covered by the work injury insurance and 88 million were in the maternity insurance, Yin said.

Yin also said the government transferred 219,000 labors from areas, which were hit by a massive earthquake on May 12 in southwest China's Sichuan Province, to other places for new jobs. Another 865,000 people were aided by the government to find jobs in places where they live.

The spokesman said the government would take further responsibility of creating jobs, by offering taxation, financing and other incentives for start-up businesses.

Further coordination with related governmental bodies will be made to increase employment of graduates from colleges and universities.

About 215 million workers joined the nationwide urban pension system, nearly 274 million participated in the basic medical care system, 122 million were in the unemployment insurance mechanism, 135 million were covered by the work injury insurance and 88 million were in the maternity insurance, the ministry figures show.

The government will start tryouts to establish a pension system in rural areas and expand the urban pension system to rural migrating labors, Yin said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 27, 2008)