China will implement a new regulation to promote employment opportunities for the country's 83 million handicapped people.

The regulation, issued last month by the State Council, China's cabinet, requires that handicapped people make up no less than 1.5 percent of the work force of government departments, enterprises and institutions.

Handicapped employees must be provided equal opportunities for promotion and equal salaries and social insurance, according to the regulation which comes into effect on May 1.

Statistics show that China has 82.96 million handicapped people but only 22.66 million are employed. More than 8.5 million employable handicapped people are unemployed, and their number increases by 300,000 a year.

Government departments, institutions and enterprises that employ a greater number of handicapped people will enjoy preferential tax and other policies, said the regulation.

(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2007)