Chinese employers could find themselves in court from next year if they discriminate against job seekers on the grounds of sex, age, religion, race or physical disability.

Job applicants will be entitled to sue employers for discrimination from Jan. 1 under the new national Employment Promotion Law.

Adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, on Thursday, the law is intended to promote employment and prohibit job discrimination.

The law was drawn up to help create opportunities for more than 13 million new job seekers entering the market each year, particularly for laid-off workers, university graduates, ex-servicemen and migrant workers in urban areas.

With nine chapters and 69 articles, the law requires governments to coordinate employment policies in urban and rural areas to expand employment and provide equal opportunities.

It bans discrimination against job seekers based on their ethnicity, race, gender, religious belief, age, or physical disability.

The law says governments at all levels must create a climate for fair employment and root out discrimination against job seekers.

Job seekers can sue employers who practice discrimination, the law says.

It requires governments above county level to make expansion of employment a key task and implement policies to support the task.

The state will increase opportunities through various means, including the development of labor-intensive and service industries, medium-sized and small companies, the non-public sector and international trade.

The state will implement financial policies favorable to employment promotion and expand channels of fund-raising for small and medium-sized companies.

The law says the state will encourage financial institutions to improve services and enhance credit support for small and medium-sized companies.

The state will support those who start their own businesses by providing small loans.