The government will try to remove obstacles restricting rural migrant workers working in urban regions and inter-regional employment.

To help farmers better adapt to the competitive market environment, the outline raised a bold objective to provide over 90 percent of newly-added farmers with vocational training by 2010.

A universal labour contract system will help regulate labor disputes. Currently, over 90 percent of labor disputes are settled.

The government will also strive to expand social security coverage over the next four years. In urban regions, 223 million people will be covered by pension schemes, 300 million will be able to buy medical insurance and 120 million will be provided with unemployment insurance.

These figures represent an increase since 2005 of 45 million people who will be covered by pensions plans.

The number of farmers entitled to pension plan will gradually increase, the outline said without providing figures. The outline stressed that efforts will be made to ensure the social security of migrant workers and farmers who lose their land as a result of urbanization.

China's burgeoning population of the elderly has now surpassed 143 million.

The development outline also highlighted the need to improve labor and social security-related laws and regulations to promote adequate employment and protection of workers' rights and interests.

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