Service sector must be supported so it can create more high-quality jobs

AT A RECENT EXECUTIVE MEETING OF THE STATE COUNCIL, China's Cabinet, Premier Li Keqiang said that employment will be further promoted during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-20), with the emphasis on a sufficient supply of high-quality jobs. Beijing Youth Daily comments:

Creating more jobs depends on the economic growth of a region and optimization of the industrial structure. For the latter, how competitive enterprises are makes a great difference. Where there are competitive enterprises, there are jobs.

That's been the case in China for the past several decades. Since reform and opening-up in 1978, the eastern coastal cities have prospered and provided the majority of jobs in the country; in striking contrast, western regions have fallen behind because their enterprises have not been competitive enough.