Beijing is expected to create 250,000 new jobs and slash another 100,000 others next year, a government survey shows.

Nearly 60 per cent of the vacancies will come from private enterprises, while half of the fired workers will come from downsizing in State-owned enterprises and institutes.

Among the 100,000 jobs cut, the manufacturing industry will likely trim 34,000 staffers while the construction sector is expected to send 26,000 employees packing, the survey shows.

Most of the 250,000 vacant new jobs -- 67 per cent -- will come from the service sector, such as wholesale and retail, transportation, hotel and restaurant industries.

People under 35 years old are the most employable group for employers and would fill around 90 per cent of the new posts.

The survey was conducted by the Beijing Municipal Statistics Bureau, the Municipal Labor and Social Security Bureau and the Municipal Personnel Bureau earlier this year.

According to the results, a total of 642 of the new posts will require foreign experts next year. More than half are in education.

And 1,800 Chinese students who have studied overseas will be invited back to take posts next year, with a third in education and the others mainly in business and computers.

(China Daily December 29, 2003)