China Creates 6.95 Million Urban Jobs in H1 as Unemployment Holds at 5.2%

2 articles · Updated · CGTN · Jul 22

6.95 million new urban jobs were created in China in the first half of 2026, leaving overall employment conditions generally stable, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security said.
5.2% was the average surveyed urban unemployment rate from January to June, while new urban job creation was unchanged from the same period a year earlier.
3.6 billion yuan in unemployment insurance subsidies underpinned job stability during the period, alongside 900 million yuan in one-off job expansion subsidies.
1.2 billion yuan in skills training subsidies added policy support as Beijing sought to keep the labor market steady through the first half.

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