TAIPEI: Wu Den-yih, chief of the Executive Yuan, has directed the Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) to formulate employment promotion measures with the goal of creating 99,000 jobs next year, government spokesman Su Jun-pin said yesterday.

Wu said at a regular Executive Yuan meeting that, as unemployment is a lagging indicator of the economy, the government should treat boosting employment one of its top priorities, according to Su.

Wu said he has therefore asked Taiwan's top economic planning agency in collaboration with related agencies to map out the 2009-2010 employment promotion measures with the goal of creating 99,000 jobs, since the 2008-2009 Short-term Employment Promotion Measures will conclude at the end of this year and about 45,000 temporary jobs offered under the program will end by that time, Su said after the meeting.

Considering that about 80 percent of the short-term employees need some employment services, the premier also asked the Council of Labor Affairs and related government agencies to strengthen employment consultation and vocational training services in a bid to reduce unemployment and meet the needs of employers and employees.

Wu also said that related agencies should adjust their employment-boosting measures in keeping with the government's policies to stimulate economic growth and increase employment over the next year.

Meanwhile, Wu said his deputy, Eric Lilun Chu, will convene an inter-departmental meeting to boost employment during the period around the lunar new year as the local job market would likely still be struggling because the economy has not shown any signs of a strong rebound.

Wu made the remarks at the meeting after being briefed by the CEPD on the current employment situation and the response strategies.

In another development, the Industrial Development Bureau under the economic affairs authorities said yesterday the government will earmark NT$300 million ($9.23 million) next year to help minimize the impact of a planned cross-Straits trade pact on some local businesses.

The bureau said it has managed to come up with NT$100 million in funds to finance a set of auxiliary measures worked out by the economics authorities with an aim to help some sectors overcome possible negative effects arising from an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with the mainland and free trade agreements (FTAs) with other economies.

Twelve traditional sectors, such as bedding, towel, ceramics and footwear, are widely believed to be most affected once the ECFA and FTAs take effect.

The bureau said that it will allocate an additional NT$300 million from April next year to subsidize the auxiliary measures over the long term, which include setting up a certification system for locally produced fine-quality goods and creating an emblem for high-end quality products.

A task force will also be formed and hold meetings periodically to assess the best means to help affected sectors in industrial transformation or competitiveness upgrading, it added.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 12/04/2009 page2)