"Premier Urges Increase in Blue-Collar Workers to Address Skills Shortage"
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for better training and education to address the acute shortage of skilled blue-collar workers in China. The country aims to become a hi-tech power by the middle of the century, but estimates suggest that nearly 30 million manufacturing roles will go unfilled by 2025. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security has identified 100 jobs with severe labor shortages, with 41 of them in manufacturing. The government plans to set up pilot programs in various industries and encourages collaboration between occupational schools, companies, and research institutions to meet market needs.