Social protection

The ILO supports China to promote common prosperity in partnership with Zhejiang University

On Thursday, 7 July 2022, the ILO and Zhejiang University (ZJU) launched a joint research on labour and social protection policy innovation for common prosperity in Zhejiang province.

News | 07 July 2022
Kick - off meeting for a joint research on labour and social protection policy innovation for common prosperity in Zhejiang province
BEIJING, China (ILO News) - China is committed to a more inclusive and sustainable development path in its journey towards a high-income country. In its "Proposal of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Formulation of the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives for 2035" adopted in 2020, China set a new development goal of gradually achieving common prosperity and Zhejiang province was identified as the pilot for promoting common prosperity.

To support Zhejiang pilot initiative, the ILO and Zhejiang University have agreed to carry out joint research on “Common Prosperity”, with specific focus on labour and employment policy innovations. Both sides have agreed to hold a series of policy-oriented research seminars, involving international and national experts, to discuss research findings and policy suggestions to government departments and social partners in Zhejiang and beyond.

On Thursday, the research was officially kicked off. On his opening speech, Changhee Lee, ILO Country Office Director for China and Mongolia highlighted that common prosperity in the China’s development agenda resonates strongly with the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda and the Future of Work initiative, as well as UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

The ILO will study China’s ambitious and innovative approaches, while sharing international experiences of advanced countries in achieving shared prosperity and decent work."

Changhee Lee, Director for ILO Country Office for China and Mongolia 
Professor Li Shi from ZJU, lead of the research team, indicated that the research will systematically sort out policy measures, experiences and challenges faced by Zhejiang Province in the process of high-quality development and build-up of the common prosperity demonstration area and develop replicable and achievable provincial approaches and examples for rolling out the common prosperity initiative national wide.

This research findings will not only inform the Zhejiang province piloting but also to provide a provincial-level example for promoting common prosperity across the country."

Professor Li Shi, Zhejiang University
Over 20 senior officials of the ILO, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, Department of Human Resources and Social Security of Zhejiang Province and scholars from Zhejiang University attended the meeting online and offline. Director of ILO Employment Policy Department Sangheon LEE, ZJU Professor He Wenjiong and Professor Yao Xianguo, together with other senior experts shared their reflections and thoughts on the meeting.