China adds tech jobs to updated employment classification list

A total of 13 new jobs have been added to the list of occupation classifications issued by China's government. The new jobs are mainly in the high tech sector, and include roles such as engineers of artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing.

A technician stands besides robots at Zhejiang University's Binhai Industrial Technology Research Institute in Tianjin City on July 5, 2018. [File Photo: IC]

The new classifications were released on Thursday by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the State Administration of Market Supervision, and the National Bureau of Statistics. It is the first update to the list since 2015.

The additions reflect the changes to China's economy in recent years. The digital services sector has boomed, and manufacturers are increasingly making use of advanced automation technologies like autonomous robots.

"The new jobs have not only increased employment in the country; they've also improved the quality of employment," said Yu Fengxia, the deputy director of the State Information Center's Sharing Economy Research Center.

E-sports related jobs are another addition to the classifications list.