Beijing Grand Talents Fair, the largest job market held every year in the capital, opened Saturday morning in the International Exhibition Center with medical workers and police officers standing on guard.

A dozen emergency vehicles were waiting outside of the center and more than 200 police officers were also present to keep order.

Large job markets in China always attract a great number of people eager to find a job, which makes the exhibition hall often quite crowded.

By Saturday noon, the 27,000-square-meter center had seen more than 60,000 job-seekers and a total of 80,000 were expected to compete for over 35,000 posts provided by 1,700 companies and public institutions during the two-day event, according to the fair organizer.

Beijing's public security and personnel departments have workedout a special scheme to deal with possible emergencies at talent fairs.

"Safety is the most important and so far the safety work is satisfactory," said Han Guangyao, director of the city's talent service center.

The organizer has divided the center hall into three parts, namely a high-tech enterprise area, foreign company area and an area for public institutions and other companies.

"I didn't expect so many people would come today," said a college student with a pile of resumes in his arms.
 
(People's Daily February 16, 2004)