A senior official with the International Labor Office said on Thursday that the Chinese government had taken active measures to protect labor rights and expressed optimism on the improvement of laborers' living conditions in China.

"The Chinese government has recognized the problems that have come with the open labor market and is trying to enhance the protection of workers who have problems in terms of working conditions, payment of wages, excessive overtime and safety and health," said Constance Thomas, director of the International Labor Office (ILO) for China and Mongolia during a forum held in Beijing.

Thomas said that the new Labor Contract Law was a major step forward to protect all Chinese workers including migrant workers, part-time workers and contract workers, and to ensure that they have the information regarding what they should be paid while sending a message to employers that violations of the law would not be tolerated.

"I hope it is the very beginning of a very large campaign to apply the law and to enforce the law." Thomas said, "The situation of workers in China is constantly changing. I am optimistic that the protection of workers is improving gradually."

Thomas said that the ILO would continue to offer technical advice to the Chinese government, helping it to improve the implementation of the labor law. It would also work with major employment organizations in China such as the All-China Federation of Trade Unions and various ministries, especially the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, to ensure that workers' rights are fully protected.

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, adopted the labor contract law on June 29 aiming to improve workers' rights following the exposure of the forced labor scandals in brick kilns in central and north China.

According to the law, officials will face administrative penalties or criminal prosecution for abusing their authority or neglecting their responsibilities that result in serious harm to the interests of workers.

The law will come into effect on Jan. 1, 2008.

(Xinhua News Agency July 28, 2007)