The number of migrant workers who have medical insurance will rise 18.3 percent to 28 million in China this year, said the Ministry of Labor and Social Security on Thursday.

Thirty-six million migrant workers will be covered by work injury insurance this year, compared with 25 million at the end of November last year.

The ministry said it will push forward the nationwide safety program launched in May last year to bring all migrant workers in high risk sectors - including coal mining and construction under the work injury insurance system.

China will provide training to eight million migrant workers in 2007 to make them more competitive in the job market.

The training will prepare four million migrant workers for re-employment; help 400,000 start their own businesses and turn 320,000 into technicians.

China has 200 million migrant workers currently, of whom 120 million work in cities.

(Xinhua News Agency February 2, 2007)