BEIJING, July 22 (Xinhua) -- China's job market remained generally stable in the first half (H1) of 2026, with a total of 6.95 million new urban jobs created, official data showed on Wednesday.

Students attend a job fair in Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. (File photo: Xinhua)

In H1, the country's surveyed urban unemployment rate stood at 5.2 percent, Cui Pengcheng, spokesperson of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MHRSS), told a press conference. China has set an unemployment rate target of around 5.5 percent for 2026 and aims to create over 12 million new urban jobs this year.

The ministry, notably, is stepping up support for key employment groups, with a particular focus on college graduates. According to Huang Junmei, an official with the MHRSS, a series of supportive measures has been rolled out, including government-provided career guidance, job recommendations and training opportunities. Furthermore, the ministry is hosting ongoing recruitment events, readily accessible via major online platforms.

The ministry is reinforcing regulatory oversight of the labor market, and actively combating discrimination and fraudulent practices to protect the rights of jobseekers, Huang added.