Vice-Premier Huang Ju said here that China should make substantial efforts to further reduce unemployment and guarantee the fulfillment of the goal for employment and re-employment for this year.

The recent severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) crisis caused some difficulties in creating job opportunities and the re-employment of laid-off workers, said Vice-Premier Huang during a three-day inspection tour of central China's Henan province, which ended on Saturday.

But the outbreak of SARS had not hurt or undermined China's overall economic development, he said, and the government was confident of go on reducing unemployment.

The rapid growth of China's overall economy and service sector would produce more jobs, he added.

Governments at all levels had worked out preferential policies to help people seek more jobs, which would take effect in the latter half of this year, he said.

Vice-Premier Huang particularly called on local governments to focus on employment and re-employment of laid-off workers.

The local administrations were urged to continue carrying out preferential policies, such as cutting taxes and offering micro-credit, for laid-offs to start their own businesses.

The country would speed up the development of the service sector, which was in great need of labor force, and improve the assistance mechanism for laid-off workers, Huang said.

(Xinhua News Agency July 28, 2003)