BEIJING — China will continue to step up support for unemployed people to ensure their basic living needs, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

Policies to expand the coverage of unemployment insurance will be extended for one more year, Gui Zhen, an official with the ministry said on May 12.

Unemployment insurance benefits will be gradually raised to 90 percent of the minimum wage standards, Gui added, noting that efforts will be made to ensure unemployed people have easy access to insurance benefits through various channels.

In the first quarter of 2022, the surveyed urban unemployment rate averaged 5.5 percent, basically unchanged from the same period last year.