President Hu Jintao made reference to a plan that encourages college students to work voluntarily in China's western region, Xinhua reported yesterday. Hu said that fresh graduates are precious human resources. Opportunities await them in the west, and their presence there will facilitate the region's development.

He urged government departments to introduce preferential policies and establish mechanisms to guide and help graduates seek grassroots-related work or employment in the west.

The plan was jointly launched by the Central Committee of Communist Youth League, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Personnel in June 2003.

Under the scheme, 24,929 college graduates have so far been posted to more than 300 economically depressed counties and towns in the west.

The number of college graduates increased from over one million in 1999 to 3.38 million in 2005. This has made it difficult for fresh graduates to find jobs in the big cities. Moreover, more highly educated professionals are needed in the west.

(Xinhua News Agency July 15, 2005)