Fight it together

Complex problems rarely have easy solutions, but holistic approaches to them are the best bet. Tackling mounting unemployment is a case in point. It is reassuring that some useful suggestions on dealing with the problem have now come from the labor and social security authorities, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions and the Chinese Enterprise Confederation/China Enterprise Directors Association.

The timing of the suggestions too is significant. Coming on the first working day of the Year of the Ox, they call upon the government, enterprises and trade unions to work together to see the country through the darkest hours of the economy.

Concrete measures that will ensure effective collaboration among the three parties at all levels should follow closely in order to stabilize labor relations and avoid social conflicts.