College and vocational school graduates will be further encouraged to work in the countryside, says a strategic document issued on Monday.

The document, issued by the State Council, China's cabinet, and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, is dubbed the No.1 central government document. It outlines key policies to boost rural development.

According to the document, the central government will improve policies and regulations that encourage more college and vocational school graduates to start their careers in the countryside.

Rising unemployment in urban areas has made rural area a new choice for more and more college graduates. The central government has organized an increasing number of graduates to serve rural development.

In June 2005, the Chinese government issued a document to guide and encourage college graduates to work in rural areas. The document set a goal of at least one collage graduate in each village in three to five years.

In Beijing, a total of 2,000 college graduates were selected to work as assistants to the village party secretary last year.

The government promised that the graduates enjoy priority in seeking new jobs in governmental departments or large companies after three year's of service in the countryside.

The Beijing municipal government announced this month that another 3,000 college graduates will work as village officials this year.

The provincial government of south China's Guangdong required all college graduates who plan to work for the government to first receive practical training in villages.

Professor Zhou Xiaozheng of the Renmin University of China said the high priority the central government has given rural development has stimulated an increasing numbers of college graduates to work in the countryside.

Source: Xinhua