The managers of 55 firms from Zhengzhou, Luoyang and other cities in Henan Province met 259 inmates from the province's Yuxi Prison on Tuesday.

Lu Fuliang, 30, who's been in the prison for 14 years, has had offers from three firms. He learnt machinery skills in prison and will be freed in two months.

Thirty prisoners have signed contracts with firms, while 193 have signed letters of intent with these firms.

Similar "job fairs" have been held in Henan prisons every year since 2003 to encourage prisoners to turn over a new leaf.

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