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(Yicai Global) Dec. 19 -- China's cities and towns added 12.9 million new job opportunities in the first 11 months, up 130,000 on last year and exceeding the 11 million annual target set by authorities.
The country's urban unemployment rate last month fell 0.1 percentage point monthly to 4.8 percent in November, state-backed Xinhua News Agency reported, adding that the rate for those of working-age between 25 and 59 years old remained at 4.4 percent. The rate for university graduates aged between 20 and 24 fell 1.8 percentage point compared October.
The average working hours for company employees climbed 0.1 hours monthly and 0.3 hours annually to 46.2 hours in November.
The Chinese government has further improved policies to stabilize employment since the turn of the year, successively issuing a series of policies and measures, said Li Xiru, head of Department of Population, Social and Science Statistics at China's National Bureau of Statistics. These measures include facilitating employment in the innovation and startup sector, employment assistance as well as guarantees for employment.
International uncertainty may affect manufacturing jobs, Li said, adding that the government must implement more active policies in this sector in the future.