The number of Chinese overseas workers is still relatively low, but with huge potentials, according to an evaluation report on overseas employment situation released by the Labor and Social Security Ministry.

According to the report, there is approximately 140 million world’s population working overseas. The cross-border migrant workers each year reached sixty million, and still continuing. There are less than 530,000 Chinese nationals working overseas now, and their forex income is estimated at some US$2 billion.

In contrast, the number of Philippine overseas workers has reached eight million, accounting one tenth of the country's total population, and brings some US$87 billion back to home each year.

Zao Yujin, director of Int'l Exchange Center of the Labor and Social Security Ministry, said: "Our next step is to provide more training programs to potential overseas workers, including foreign languages training, working skills training and legal assistance. In this way, we hope they will feel more at ease when working overseas."

The ministry also announced measures to help more Chinese nationals going abroad to find jobs, saying all of the efforts will be carried out within a standardized and legal framework to ensure the fairness, justice and openness of the sector.

(CCTV.com November 25, 2004)