China's urban unemployment rate averaged 5.2% in 2025's first nine months, with stable job growth in key sectors.

China's urban unemployment rate averaged 5.2 percent in the first nine months of 2025, slightly declining to 5.2 percent in September, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Employment for key groups remained stable, with gains in transportation, hospitality, and cultural sectors driven by summer tourism and government pro-employment policies. Despite external economic pressures and persistent structural challenges, officials pledged continued support to maintain stability, as China aims to keep the unemployment rate near 5.5 percent and create over 12 million new urban jobs this year.