SHANGHAI - China on Wednesday announced a new crackdown on illegal labor practices following an outcry over revelations of slave labor at brick factories in the country's central provinces.

The two-monthlong inspection campaign starting next week will focus on small-scale kilns, coal mines and workshops, according to a statement posted on the central government's official Web site.

Officials have been ordered to "fix illegal labor practices, attack illegal criminal behavior, conscientiously protect the personal interests of the broad masses of the people, and resolve ... problems of the protection of the rights of migrant workers," said the statement.

The announcement followed a meeting presided over by Labor and Social Security Minister Tian Chengping and attended by top officials from the police, commerce and land use ministries and the official All China Federation of Trade Unions.

That came a week after China's Cabinet convened an extraordinary meeting to demand an investigation of the slavery scandal that has unleashed a flood of negative publicity against officials in Shanxi and Henan provinces.

Hundreds of children and adults were abducted and sold to brick yards in those areas. Operators, often acting with local government protection, beat, starved and forced workers to labor long hours without pay.

Close to 1,000 workers have been released following police raids over recent months, prompted in part by accusations posted on the Internet that authorities were ignoring such practices.

Premier Wen Jiabao has ordered a thorough probe and punishment of kiln owners and officials who abetted their activities. Last week, Shanxi's governor issued an extraordinary apology to victims and the public.

Authorities in Shanxi said earlier that at least 55 people were being investigated in 15 separate cases related to brick kiln slavery. On Monday, police announced a cash reward for information leading to the arrest of nine brick factory foreman.

Hoping to better protect workers, legislators this week are expected to enact a final version of a labor law that would set standards for labor contracts, use of temporary workers and severance pay.

However, some foreign and domestic business groups have railed against the law, saying it will raise costs and create administrative headaches, eroding China's competitive advantage of cheap, hassle-free labor.