BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The number of graduates from Chinese colleges is expected to reach 8.74 million in 2020, an increase of 400,000 over 2019, according to the Ministry of Education (MOE).

The MOE has urged parties to help college graduates with employment by stepping up guidance for job seeking and offering information on job vacancies, particularly to students in suburban areas and third- or fourth-tier cities.

Authorities should also provide entrepreneurial services for students, building a group of incubation bases for college students to start their own businesses, according to an online video conference co-organized by the MOE and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

The ministries also called for strengthening the protection of college students' rights and interests to prevent fraud during job seeking.