Minister of Labor and Social Security Zhang Zuoji said Wednesday
that efforts will be made to expand the number of social insurance
beneficiaries.
Zhang told a news conference that within this year, beneficiaries
of China's pension system will be increased from 130 million to 150
million; while that of the unemployment insurance system will be
increased from approximately 100 million to 110 million; and that
of the medicare insurance system will be increased from 90 million
to 100 million.
He
also said that the pension for the retired had been increased from
415 yuan a month in 1997 to 627 yuan a month in 2002. But he
acknowledged that the time is not mature for adopting a national
farmers' social insurance system.
(Xinhua News Agency March 12, 2003)
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