Traditional and highly competitive industries are likely to be affected, with the most severely hit the manufacturing industry, tipped to cut 45,000 jobs.

Industries that operate under intense competition like transport, storage and postal services are each expected to lay off 10,000 employees.

Slightly better off are the wholesale and retail business sector and the restaurant sector, which are expected to lay off 9,000 employees each due to the application of technology and improved management.

However, in some other promising industries, job opportunities are expected to increase. The social services sector, for instance, is set to be a primary employment channel with an extra 39,000 job vacancies this year.

Other areas where staffs are likely to expand include government institutions, social organizations, the educational and cultural sector, the film and television industry, and the finance and insurance industry.

Predictions are that Beijing will create 445,000 new job opportunities this year. However, the labor market was not looking positive since after deducting expected job losses, only just over10, 000 jobs would be added from last year's base figure, the paper says.

(Xinhua News Agency 14, 2003)