July 18, 2024 -- The unemployment rates for 16- to 24-year-olds and 25- to 29-year-olds in urban areas, excluding students, have decreased for three consecutive months, according to figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday.

Last month, the jobless rate for the younger cohort fell by 1 percentage point to 13.2 percent, while that for the older age group stood at 6.4 percent, down 0.2 of a percentage point from May.

Bureau figures show that the rate for those aged 30 to 59 stabilized at 4 percent in May and June.

Starting from December, the bureau has adjusted the statistics for unemployment rates by age group by excluding students, after suspending the publication of figures from July to November.

Wang Pingping, director of the bureau's population and employment census department, said on Monday the overall employment situation remained stable in the first half of the year.

China's surveyed average urban unemployment rate stood at 5.1 percent in the first half of the year, down 0.2 of a percentage point year-on-year, Wang said.

With about 11.79 million students expected to graduate from college this year, continuous efforts have been urged to prioritize the employment of the young and develop more job opportunities to fully harness their skills.

The Ministry of Education said that targeted measures have been taken to improve employment opportunities for university graduates, with 12 online recruitment activities being held this month on the national employment service platform for college students.

Recruitment portal Zhaopin said in a report that there is a significant talent shortage in blue-collar jobs, while competition for white-collar positions remains intense.

It is important to help college students develop job-seeking plans to address the concerns of university students flocking to State-owned enterprises and blindly pursuing graduate studies, it said. Efforts should also be made to cultivate their employment skills through internships, it added.