BEIJING – China doubled down Friday on efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic and create jobs as the number of people thrown out of work soars worldwide.
The help for the world’s No. 2 economy, the main driver of world growth in recent years, followed news that nearly 39 million Americans have lost their jobs since the crisis accelerated two months ago.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, the top economic leader, said Friday that Beijing would give local governments 2 trillion yuan ($280 billion) to help them undo the damage from shutdowns imposed to curb the spread of the virus after it first appeared in central China in late 2019.