China will start a training program to help the jobless to open their own business to expand employment, said Zhang Xiaojian, vice minister of Labor and Social Security on Sunday.

The program will be carried out in 100 cities and the trainees will include not only laid-off workers but also college graduates and migrant workers, the ministry said.

The ministry has asked the 100 cities to work out plans in September and the program will kick off within this year.

The program also requires that each city must train 1500 individuals a year, at least 50 percent of them can set up their own businesses within six months, and at least 80 of the businesses can operate steadily for more than one year.

Since July 2004, a training program has been carried out in 42 cities for 760,000 trainees, and 60 percent of them have started their own businesses and created nearly two million jobs, according to the ministry.