The Chinese Ministry of Labor and Social Security says 14 million people in the country could be out of job this year and one main reason has been the outbreak of SARS.
It says the number of people looking for work will reach 24 million, while there are only 10 million new jobs available this year.
The SARS outbreak has severely affected several regions and some industries such as tourism, restaurants and transportation. People affected by SARS include college students, and migrant and laid-off workers.
About half of the two million college students who are about to graduate may face difficulties in finding jobs.
Experts say this employment situation requires emergency measures such as providing living subsidies to unemployed workers in SARS-hit areas, and reducing taxes on certain companies and industries to prevent possible job cuts.
(CRI. June 18, 2003)
