Chinese government reiterated the ban on employment of child laborers and the issue of protecting the rights of women and underage employees on Monday.

Employers of underage workers must follow laws and regulations while anyone who is involved in marketing and employing child laborers will be severely punished, says a State Council document entitling "A Few Comments on Resolving the Issue of Rural Workers by the State Council".

In the document, the government urged employers to protect the special rights and interests of women workers and they must not refuse to adopt different standards for employees of different genders.

Meanwhile, employers must not let women workers to work in areas that prohibit women and must not dismiss women workers or lower their pay during the periods of pregnancy, delivery and breast-feeding.

Editor: Yan