NANCHANG, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor Shen Yiqin has called for efforts to effectively implement an employment-first strategy and actively advance the high-quality development of the sports industry.

This photo taken on March 22, 2026 shows a scene of the 2026 Shanshui Wuning International Tennis Open in Wuning County, Jiujiang City, east China's Jiangxi Province. (File photo: Xinhua)

Shen made the remarks during an investigation and research tour of east China's Jiangxi Province, which began on Tuesday and concluded on Friday.

Support should be given to sectors and enterprises with strong job-creation capacity, Shen said, urging relevant departments to stabilize employment for key groups such as university graduates and migrant workers.

It is also important to scale up vocational skills training, continuously improve employment-related public services, and foster new jobs arising from emerging and future industries, Shen added.

On the sports industry, Shen said that it is a key driver of consumption and domestic demand, calling for further measures to tap consumer potential, increase the supply of quality products and services, and support the growth of related business entities.