BEIJING, March 2 -- China will continue to implement solid measures this year to "go all out to maintain overall stability in employment," a senior official said on Thursday.

China's overall employment situation will stay stable in 2023 as the economy continues to recover with sound fundamentals unchanged, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping told a press conference.

China maintained employment stability last year against the backdrop of an economic slowdown, epidemic resurgence and a complex and fluid external environment, with 12.06 million jobs created in urban regions, Wang said.

Wang attributed these achievements to effective employment-first measures, including helping businesses, promoting entrepreneurship and strengthening training and services for job seekers.

She acknowledged that pressure and challenges in ensuring employment still exist, noting that the number of college graduates will reach 11.58 million this year, placing pressure on the country's job market.

Solid measures will be rolled out to support business startups, the service sector, micro and small enterprises, and help those who have recently shaken off poverty, while large-scale training programs for key groups will be carried out, said Wang.

"We are confident that we can successfully meet the annual employment target and maintain overall stability in employment," Wang said.