BEIJING — China's education authorities said on Feb 12 that they will offer more help to the college graduates in job hunting amid the economic downturn and the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

A total of 8.74 million students are expected to graduate from college this year, 400,000 more than last year, said Wang Hui with the Ministry of Education at a daily press briefing in Beijing.

The ministry has suspended nationwide offline recruiting activities, which may bring mass gatherings, and is improving the online recruiting services, such as online interviewing and contract signing, said Wang.

The authorities would conduct strict reviews on the employers and recruitment information online, Wang added.

To curb the spread of the virus, China has postponed the opening of the spring semesters of schools and universities across the country.

The ministry would pay extra attention to the students with special needs, including those from poor families or students with physical difficulties, said Wang.

"We will also open some online courses or hotlines to guide the students on finding jobs and provide psychological counseling," said Wang.