(Yicai) Sept. 16 -- China’s urban unemployment rate ticked up last month, mainly as a result of fresh graduates entering the jobs market.

China's urban surveyed unemployment rate rose to 5.3 percent in August from 5.2 percent in July and was unchanged from a year earlier, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics yesterday. The jobless rate was 5.2 percent in the eight months ended Aug. 31.

The unemployment rate typically rises in July and August during the college graduation season, before easing as they find work, NBS spokesperson Fu Linghui said, adding that August’s uptick was mainly due to the influx of recent graduates into the labor market.

The jobless rate for people aged 30 to 59 was 3.9 percent, unchanged on a monthly and annual basis, indicating that employment among the core working-age population remains stable.

Despite global headwinds and structural employment pressures at home, China has managed to keep the labor market broadly stable thanks to proactive policies, Fu noted.

Looking ahead, he urged stronger job support measures, enhanced skills training, better supply and demand matching, and efforts to promote high-quality and full employment, improve livelihoods, sustain economic growth, and maintain social stability.

Editor: Martin Kadiev