Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu said in Beijing Sunday China will redouble its efforts to create better employment conditions of the disabled in order to improve their life and social status.

Extending his concern for China's 60 million handicapped people and their families and those who work for the welfare of the handicapped, Hui urged local governments and all social circles to keeping on improving the employment of the handicapped and safeguard their labor rights.

"Employment is fundamental to livelihood and an effective way and important basis for improving the disabled people's life, social status and helping them participating in social and economic undertakings," he said, after visiting a business office of China Netcom Beijing Branch and Beijing massage guidance center for the blind.

Although a lot of disabled people have got jobs, the general employment situation for them is still grave and they are facing increasing pressure and difficulty to find a job, he said.

He said the government will strengthen policy enforcement to create better employment conditions and more job opportunities for these people, improve employ services and training for them and encourage them to start businesses on their own.

(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2005)