The Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China Thursday issued a circular urging provincial, regional and city-level governments and embassies stationed overseas to take effective measures to guard against overseas labor disputes.

Provinces, regions and cities should build systems to prevent overseas labor disputes and provide channels for Chinese workers laboring overseas to complain or report crimes, the circular said.

Chinese embassies should work closely with local departments and listen to any complaints from Chinese workers laboring overseas, the circular said.

Overseas labor disputes refer to rights protection cases among workers laboring overseas. They usually involve employer-employee disputes, economic tangles, contract disputes or even sufferings caused by wars, terrorist attacks and bad social security.

(Xinhua News Agency July 10, 2009)