Vietnam strives to maintain labor exports

HANOI, March 13 (Chinese media) -- About 18,000 Vietnamese workers were sent abroad to work in the first two months of the year, up 13 percent over the same period last year, the Vietnam News Agency reported here on Friday.

According to the Department for Overseas Workers Management under the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the workers were mainly sent to China's Taiwan, the Republic of Korea, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Japan.

Despite the increase, the ministry said concerns remained regarding the target of sending 90,000 workers abroad to work this year.

Malaysia, the largest importer of labor from Vietnam, has recently announced that it will temporarily suspend recruiting foreign workers from certain countries and regions, including Vietnam, due to pressure of the global financial crisis.

The ministry said Vietnamese agencies are now working hard to explore other potential markets.

Vietnam reached a deal with the UAE last month on labor cooperation. The ministry believed the UAE market is promising, and has agreeable policies toward guest workers. It also pointed out the need to raise the quality of workers sent to this market and others.