There are hopeful signs of recruitment shown in the central and western regions, with "positive" employment outlook levels seen in cities such as Chengdu, Xi'an and Wuhan.

"With the government's effort to boost the development of the central and western regions and with many domestic and foreign companies now expanding their presence in the areas to take advantage of competitive labor costs, job seekers may want to consider relocating to those cities for more career development opportunities," Chen Chuangfu, vice-president of Dhihezi University in Xinjiang, said.

(China Daily March 17, 2009)