China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) is preparing to release a policy document specifically titled “Responding to the Impact of AI on Employment.” The document, announced on January 27, 2026, outlines strategies for job stabilization, expansion, and quality enhancement as the country grapples with AI-driven labor market disruption.
What China is actually building
In August 2025, China’s State Council issued its “AI+” Action Plan, which directed government agencies to strengthen employment risk assessments tied to AI applications. The plan also emphasized steering AI innovation toward sectors with high job-creation potential.
By October 2025, regional governments were already translating the directive into action. Hunan Province published an implementation plan that spotlighted the need for robust assessments of AI’s impact on local labor markets, while ensuring resources flow to industries where new jobs are most likely to appear.
Now, with the MOHRSS policy document, the central government is pulling those threads into a single national strategy. The approach has three pillars: stabilize existing jobs threatened by automation, expand employment in AI-adjacent fields, and improve the quality of work that remains.
