Taiwan vows help for China trade pact job losers

Taiwan plans to spend 45 billion dollars (1.4 billion US dollars) to help people who will lose their jobs as a result of a planned trade pact with China, local media reported Monday. Wang Ju-hsuan, chairwoman of the Council of Labour Affairs, made the promise amid growing concern that the controversial agreement could cause a large proportion of the island's workforce to become redundant.
"Behind every labourer there is a family that needs to be fed. The government has a responsibility to take care of them," Wang said, according to the Central News Agency. The government plans to spend the money on subsidies to families whose breadwinner is suddenly without work, and will also be earmarked for job training to make them fit for the changing labour market, the agency said.