BEIJING, July 21 -- China added 6.78 million new jobs to the labor market in urban regions in the first half of 2023 (H1), achieving 57 percent of the annual jobs target, according to data released Friday by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

In June, the surveyed urban unemployment rate stood at 5.2 percent, the data showed. China aims to add 12 million jobs in cities this year and keep the surveyed urban jobless rate at around 5.5 percent.

According to a statement by the ministry on its website after a press conference, the government had stepped up efforts in prioritizing employment in H1 with concrete measures. For instance, the government subsidized enterprises with funds to the tune of 52.8 billion yuan (about 7.4 billion U.S. dollars) in H1 to encourage companies to provide job openings, the statement said.

It said the government also fully promoted the employment of young people, such as college graduates, through various action plans and training initiatives. The government has continued to encourage enterprises to provide 1 million internship opportunities for unemployed youths this year. As of the end of June, 683,000 such internship positions were open, and 519,000 people had taken part in internship programs.

The country has also prioritized large-scale vocational skills training targeting young people, especially college graduates, the statement said. In H1, more than 7.7 million vocational training coupons, which trainees use to access free training courses, were issued by the government.

The ministry said that it would continue to promote employment for college students in its next step of work.