Social security is the public's top concern, above employment, according to a survey conducted by the Beijing-based Horizon Research Consultancy Group.

Over 37.9 percent of the 3,780 polled chose social security ahead of a range of issues including employment, education, public transit, health and public security, said the Beijing Evening News which analyzed the survey results.

Over 50.2 percent of those questioned revealed they had no social security or welfare, and only one percent had complete set of insurance, covering health, employment and retirement insurance, the paper said.

The survey shows urban residents are satisfied with their social security conditions, but farmers and migrant workers, surviving on low incomes and with little access to social security, said their conditions were far from satisfactory.

The survey, titled "A Report on Quality of Life of Residents in 2006", was conducted among 3,780 residents from five cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, and five small cities and towns in Sichuan, Zhejiang and Liaoning provinces.

The report said the percentage of unemployed people under 35 years of age had reached 38.1 percent, up three percent on the previous year.

Sources with Horizon said the reasons cover insufficient information about job openings, and a lack of vocational training and job opportunities.

(Xinhua News Agency January 11, 2007)