Minister of Labor and Social Security Zhang Zuoji said Wednesday
that China has basically developed a market-oriented employment
mechanism and the framework of social security system has been
initially established.
Zhang told a news conference on the sidelines of the on-going first
sessions of the 10th National People's Congress and the 10th
National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative
Conference that China has made considerable progress in improving
its social security system.
He
said that major achievements in this respect include:
--
A major labor restructuring during the transition from a planned
economy to a market one has been basically completed;
--
Efforts have been made to provide basic living means to people with
difficulties;
--
The pension system has been continuously improved;
--
The traditional labor protection medicare and free medicare systems
have been replaced with a basic medicare insurance system;
--
The pilot project for improving social security system in Liaoning
Province has made breakthrough;
--
Employment policies are being actively formulated;
--
Diversified financing channels have been developed to reinforce
social insurance funds; and,
--
More and more people have been covered by social insurance.
(Xinhua News Agency March 12, 2003)
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