The Chinese government will raise export tariff rebates Nov. 1 for about a quarter of taxable exports in a bid to help small- and medium-sized enterprises that now generate seven of every 10 new jobs in the country, according to various media reports.

One report said rebates on textile and clothing exports will rise to 14% from 13%. The government announced the rebate increases a day after estimating that the country’s GDP growth slowed to 9% from 10% in the third quarter.

The move follows the government’s decision earlier this year to scale back or eliminate tariff rebates in some coastal regions to push lower paying, labor intensive industries to its interior. However, falling demand for Chinese exports prompted the government last week to unveil a series of programs to help small, export oriented businesses, which absorb much of China’s huge migrant labor population.

Government figures quoted by the China Daily newspaper Tuesday estimated 67,000 once profitable small and medium sized enterprises failed during the first six months of the year. Two-thirds of textile enterprises are facing restructuring, according to that report.

The China Daily reported last week that the value of deals written at the first phase of the biannual China Import and Export Fair fell 10% from year earlier levels as demand for Chinese exports declined.