A campaign calling on the nation's youth to help in the development of the country's western regions was launched yesterday in Beijing.

Co-sponsored by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League and the Ministry of Education, the campaign plans to recruit 5,000 to 6,000 undergraduates annually to provide voluntary services in the west.

"The campaign is just one contribution to the country's overall 'Go west' strategy," said Zhao Yong, a senior official of the central committee at the press conference.

He stressed that the development of the western regions depends on skills.

According to official statistics, although the population of the 12 western provinces and autonomous regions accounts for 28.8 per cent of that of the whole country, the number of well-educated people, professionals and workers trained with skills here is only 15.5 per cent.

The Communist Youth League has arranged for people with PhDs and college students to help western development for many years.

"This time, we hope some of these young volunteers will stay and make a career there," said Zhao.

The volunteers are expected to work in underdeveloped counties and towns in the western regions for one or two years, in the fields of education, public health, farming technology and poverty alleviation.

The campaign especially welcomes college graduates in the west as well as those majoring in agriculture, forestry, hydraulic engineering, medical science and teacher training.

The campaign will also help ease the problem of graduate unemployment, he said.

In 1999, China's university and college enrollment began an upward trend. Based on an average four-year academic programme, the class of 2003 will be made up of 2.12 million graduates, 670,000 more than last year, Vice-Minister of Education Yuan Guiren told the press conference.

The State Council, China's cabinet, has asked local governments and departments to make greater efforts to help this year's university graduates find jobs.

"Although 6,000 is only a very tiny part of this year's college graduates, the campaign can somehow introduce a new direction of pursuing a career to these young talents," said Yuan.