Where does the value of a themed essay contest that gathers hundreds of suggestions from all sectors of society ultimately lie? The Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau provides the answer: by establishing a regular mechanism for open consultation and the conversion of suggestions, systematically categorizing, studying, and incorporating them, and tracking their effectiveness throughout the process, the “golden ideas” on paper are precisely transformed into “hard measures” that drive work forward, ensuring every valuable suggestion yields tangible results.

Wide Casting of the “Call for Heroes” Yields “Golden Ideas”

In 2025, the Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau launched the themed essay contest “Gathering Wisdom for Human Resources and Social Security: Co-writing a New Chapter for the ’15th Five-Year Plan'”, widely soliciting countermeasures and suggestions on major theoretical and practical issues as well as “good ideas” for deepening reform and innovation. It also meticulously set up 84 specific topic “challenge lists” to comprehensively promote a system where capable parties take on challenges and diverse exploration is encouraged, striving to create a strong atmosphere of uniting hearts, pooling wisdom, and gathering strength.

Since its launch in April of that year, the activity received an enthusiastic and broad response from all sectors of society. Experts and scholars from research institutes, representatives from various enterprises, Party members and cadres from the city’s human resources and social security system, and the general public concerned with the development of the capital’s human resources and social security endeavors actively participated. They put forward a series of ideas and viewpoints with both theoretical depth and practical value from multiple perspectives and dimensions, focusing on hot and difficult issues in the human resources and social security field such as promoting high-quality and full employment, improving the social security system, strengthening the construction of technical and skilled talent teams, and building harmonious labor relations. Among these were both countermeasures and suggestions focusing on the macro policy system, emphasizing “specialization” and “depth”, as well as “golden ideas” focusing on specific problems, noted for being “small” yet “precise”.

In mid-December of that year, the selection results were announced. The activity received a total of 360 suggestions and articles, of which 41 articles were rated as excellent “countermeasure and suggestion” works, and 18 suggestions were rated as “golden ideas”.

On January 15 of this year, the Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau held a summary exchange and expert symposium, presenting certificates to the award-winning representatives.

Precise Prescriptions from All Sectors to Solve Livelihood Challenges

These suggestions and ideas have injected new momentum and vitality into the high-quality development of the capital’s human resources and social security endeavors, with many already being adopted and incorporated into plans.

For example, a team from the School of Labor Economics at Capital University of Economics and Business innovatively proposed a “pyramid”-style regional distribution pattern for the city’s employment quality. They found a severe regional disparity in high-quality full employment in Beijing: Haidian and Chaoyang Districts lead the first tier; Xicheng, Dongcheng, and Fengtai Districts are in the second tier; Daxing, Changping, Shunyi, Shijingshan, and Tongzhou Districts are in the third tier; and the remaining districts are in the fourth tier, with significant differences in overall high-quality full employment scores between tiers. Based on this, they drafted the “Regional Disparities and Optimization Suggestions for High-Quality Full Employment in Beijing”, conducting analyses one by one from the four dimensions of the capital’s functional core area, urban function extension area, urban development new area, and ecological conservation development area. They aimed to tailor solutions, precisely tackle problems, and explore ways to promote the city’s employment pattern from “disparity” towards “optimization”, enabling workers in different regions to achieve high-quality full employment.

The research submitted titled “Research on Difficulties and Countermeasures for Protecting the Rights and Interests of Workers in New Forms of Employment” deeply analyzes the root causes of challenges in protecting the rights and interests of the vast number of flexible workers such as food delivery riders and ride-hailing drivers. It proposes a series of countermeasures and suggestions, including improving laws and regulations, strengthening platform responsibilities, innovating social security systems, and building a multi-party governance mechanism. Examples include “ensuring workers in new business forms are covered by the minimum wage guarantee system” and “platform algorithms adhering to a ‘moderate algorithm’ principle”.

Another example is the analysis submitted titled “Analysis of Methods to Increase the Grassroots Employment Rate of Young People in the Capital”, which keenly captures the structural contradiction in the city where phenomena like “slow employment” and “delayed employment” among some young people coexist with the difficulty

Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau

The Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau is a modern administrative government agency responsible for managing labor, employment, social insurance, and talent services within China’s capital. It was formed as part of ongoing governmental restructuring, evolving from earlier labor and personnel departments to implement national social and employment policies at the municipal level. Its primary function is to oversee and administer the city’s social security systems, workforce regulations, and professional certification programs.

15th Five-Year Plan

The “15th Five-Year Plan” is not a physical place or cultural site, but a strategic national development blueprint for the People’s Republic of China. It refers to the economic and social development guidelines set for the period from 2026 to 2030, continuing a series of such plans that began in 1953. Its history is part of China’s long-term state planning system, designed to guide the country’s modernization, technological advancement, and high-quality growth in the coming half-decade.

School of Labor Economics at Capital University of Economics and Business

The School of Labor Economics at Capital University of Economics and Business (CUEB) is a leading academic institution in China focused on labor relations, human resources, and social security. It was established to address the evolving economic and social needs of China’s workforce, building upon CUEB’s long-standing strength in applied economics since its founding. The school plays a significant role in policy research and training professionals for China’s labor market.

Haidian District

Haidian District is a northwestern urban district of Beijing, China, renowned as the nation’s leading center for education, scientific research, and technology, often called “China’s Silicon Valley.” Historically, it is home to prestigious institutions like Peking University and Tsinghua University, and its landscape features historic sites such as the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) and the Summer Palace (Yiheyuan), which date back to the Qing Dynasty. Today, it seamlessly blends this rich imperial history with its modern identity as a dynamic hub for innovation and academia.

Chaoyang District

Chaoyang District is a major central urban district of Beijing, China, known as the city’s diplomatic and international business hub, housing most foreign embassies and the CBD. Historically, it was largely agricultural land and suburban until the late 20th century, when it underwent rapid development after being designated a key area for modernization in the 1950s. Today, it is a symbol of Beijing’s globalized modernity, featuring landmarks like the CCTV Headquarters and the Workers’ Stadium.

Xicheng District

Xicheng District is a central urban district of Beijing, historically significant as part of the old Inner City during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is renowned for housing major cultural and political sites, including Beihai Park, the ancient observatory, and parts of the former imperial city. Today, it remains a key administrative and financial hub, blending historic hutongs with modern government institutions.

Dongcheng District

Dongcheng District is a central urban district of Beijing, China, historically forming part of the old Inner City. It is renowned for containing some of Beijing’s most significant cultural and historical sites, including the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and the Temple of Heaven (though the latter is technically just south in Chongwen, historically part of the same area). For centuries, it served as the political and ceremonial heart of imperial China.

Fengtai District

Fengtai District is a major urban area in southwestern Beijing, historically known as a key transportation and logistics hub since the Yuan Dynasty. Today, it is a modern commercial and residential zone, prominently featuring the Beijing West Railway Station, one of China’s largest rail terminals.