China

Workers face more unemployment - official
A National People’s Congress committee vice chairperson, Li Yining, said recently that society will have to adjust to a higher rate of unemployment as a result of increased competition after China becomes a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

This statement is an official admission that China’s membership of the WTO will result in more unemployment, and will not create jobs as usually officially claimed. Until now, official propaganda has stressed that WTO membership would create 12 million new jobs, a view criticised by ALU.

China’s optimistic view that WTO membership would create jobs is open to criticism. Firstly following the experiences of previous multinational examples the 12 million jobs China’s WTO membership supporters claim will be created are likely to be of very low quality. Secondly it is estimated that millions of jobs will be lost in China as a result of more open markets following WTO accession. This means that WTO membership will involve a worse standard of jobs, and a net loss of jobs overall.

From China Daily, 10 January 2000

Privatisation destroys jobs
Twelve million state employed workers will lose their jobs this year according to Zhang Zuoji, China’s Minister of Labour and Social Security.

From China Daily, 11 January 2000