More than one third of China's rural laborers now work in non-agricultural fields, following the country's speedy urbanization progress and industrial shift in rural areas, according to official sources.

The latest statistics show that 52.6 percent of workers in the country's catering industry and retail industry are from rural areas, while 68.2 percent of workers in manufacturing industries and 79.8 percent of the country's construction workers are also from rural areas.

Previously, farmers sought temporary jobs in the city, leaving their family in their hometown, but today many workers from rural areas, or migrant workers, bring their whole family to urban areas after finding a stable job there.

The central authorities have required local governments of urban areas to treat migrant workers fairly, lift employment restrictions on them and protect their legal rights and interests.

Training courses in various forms have also been launched across the country to help migrant workers improve labor skills.

(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2004)