BEIJING – China created a total of 10.57 million new urban jobs in the first 9 months of this year, achieving 88 percent of its annual target, official data showed on Wednesday.

The surveyed urban unemployment rate registered 5.2 percent in September, marking a decrease of 0.1 percentage points from the previous month, Cui Pengcheng, spokesperson for the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, said at a press conference.

The country has intensified efforts to maintain a stable job market, accelerating the implementation of measures to support employment, Cui added.

China is targeting a surveyed urban unemployment rate of around 5.5 percent in 2025 and aims to create over 12 million new urban jobs this year.