China will improve its employment-first policy and help key population groups secure jobs to meet its annual job creation target.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security said on Friday.

At least 10.49 million new urban jobs were created during the first nine months of 2024, said ministry official Chen Yongjia at a press conference.

China set itself a target of generating over 12 million urban jobs in 2024.

The ministry will launch job creation campaigns in key sectors such as advanced manufacturing and the silver economy to achieve this target.

Chen said this would maximise the use of tax and fee cuts, subsidies, and refunds to help businesses maintain stable employment.

In the first nine months, the Chinese government provided more than 150 billion yuan (about 21.1 billion dollars) in employment support for businesses and employees, data from the ministry showed.

According to the ministry, this support included reduced premium rates for unemployment insurance, insurance refunds, and subsidies for vocational skills training.

The ministry would continue to offer skills training subsidies targeting the digital and green sectors and assist businesses in better aligning skills training with market demand.

Chen said that it will improve measures to boost incomes for skilled professionals.

The official added that the ministry would provide special assistance for unemployed graduates and encourage employers to offer them internship opportunities to ensure overall employment stability among the youth.

Chen also underscored the importance of improving services for job seekers, calling for efforts to organise job fairs, better match supply with demand, and create a supportive environment for entrepreneurship.

(dpa/NAN)