China to hold more job fairs to boost employment

Authorities and universities have held 14,000 job fairs and are planning to hold more to provide job opportunities to a record high number of college graduates, an official said Thursday.

By June, some 6.99 million students will graduate from vocational colleges and universities, up 190,000 year on year and a record high since 1949.

In addition to on-site job fairs, the Ministry of Education has also organized online fairs that have attracted more than 150,000 enterprises, providing more than 1.1 million jobs to graduates, said Du Yubo, vice minister of education.

The ministry is planning to hold more fairs for emerging industries, e-commerce, outsourcing and the non-ferrous metal industry, Du said.

"We must help graduates find jobs," he said.

The ministry has urged universities to strengthen entrepreneurial education and provide employment guidance and information, Du said.

Special efforts will be made to help graduates from poor families, ethnic minority students, disabled students and female students, he said.

Employment discrimination will be firmly opposed, he added.