Employment numbers nearly tripled since 1978

Beijing has forged ahead with high-quality employment development in a bid to improve people's livelihoods.

As the country celebrates its 70th anniversary, the capital released key figures in September to show its achievements in benefiting its people.

The number of employees in Beijing tripled from 1978 to 2018, increasing from about 4.44 million to 12.37 million. Employee incomes saw a 10 percent average annual growth rate over the last decade, according to data from the Beijing Human Resources and Social Security Bureau.

The employment channels have become more diverse as the city encourages innovation and entrepreneurship by providing preferential policies in financing, tax reduction, professional recruitment and brand promotion. In 2018, the number of newly registered companies surpassed 180,000.

Beijing Mayor Chen Jining said at a news conference held by the State Council Information Office in September that the per capita disposable income of local people grew from 200 yuan ($30) to 62,000 yuan during the past 70 years.

The city also made significant progress in education, medical care and other civil affairs-related fields. To date, Beijing is home to 3,500 schools with 3.1 million students, according to the Beijing Education Commission.

The number of college students has grown from 20,000 to 1 million. The city is home to 34 universities that have been granted the status of "Double First-Class" schools - a national program for China's higher education excellence. Beijing has become the largest area for higher education resources in China, the commission said.

Chen said the city government invests about 100 billion yuan every year in education - the largest local fiscal expense.

Data from the Beijing Civil Affairs Bureau showed that by the end of last year, 3.64 million elderly residents aged over 60 lived in the capital, accounting for 16.9 percent of the city's total population.

The government is accelerating the construction of home-based elderly care services and the development of elderly care-related industries. A total of 755 community elderly care service stations are open across the city. The number is expected to reach 1,000 by 2020, according to the bureau.

Beijing is also at the forefront of the country in terms of medical care services, with an optimized system in fields such as online appointments and hierarchical diagnosis and treatment, Chen said. The goal is to make Beijing an international top-class harmonious and livable city, he added.

(China Daily 10/01/2019 page10)