BEIJING — The Chinese government, which has struggled to keep women from leaving the labor force, is taking new steps to combat sex discrimination in the workplace, including prohibiting employers from asking applicants about their marital or childbearing status.

A notice posted online on Thursday outlines specific measures for carrying out existing laws that ban gender discrimination in employment. While gender equality is enshrined in China’s constitution, the laws on employment discrimination are vague, and enforcement has been weak.

“Gender equality is the basic national policy of our country,” said the notice, which was jointly issued on Monday by nine government ministries and groups. “Promoting equal employment for women is conducive to promoting women’s wider and deeper participation in social and economic activities and enhancing social productivity and economic vitality.”

The barriers to that deeper participation are numerous. It is not uncommon for employers, concerned about having to cover maternity leave costs, to ask female job applicants about their marital status and childbearing plans.