Zhou was subsequently sentenced to death. "These inharmonious things obviously do not tally with the picture that the Chinese government is now trying to draw -- a socialist harmonious society, in which equality, justice and the interests of social vulnerable groups are being addressed," said Liu Cuixiao.

Issues concerning people's livelihoods are amongst the most important subjects being discussed in the recently convened annual session of the NPC and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Professor Zheng Gongcheng of Renmin University, who is also a member of NPC Standing Committee said, "Discriminations may damage the labor market, and thus lead to serious social consequences, it undermines the fair competition environment of the labor market, and results in a tremendous waste of labor capital."

"What the draft law said on anti-discrimination is mainly in principle," remarked Liu Cuixiao, "however, as an administrative law made by the central government, all of the local provisions that are against such principles will be abolished."

More importantly, the draft states that the government is to co-ordinate rural and urban employment policies in a bid to build a system in which workers from rural and urban areas can have equal rights in employment.

Due to lack of education and professional training, these workers from rural areas cannot find jobs requiring skills and technology, which made them disadvantageous when competing with urban people.

As Liu Cuixiao said, it is unfair for them -- she believes that with all the efforts that the government will make, discrimination must be curbed significantly.

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