BEIJING, March 15 -- China's employment level remained stable, with the average surveyed urban unemployment rate standing at 5.6 percent in the first two months of 2023, official data showed Wednesday.

In February alone, the surveyed urban unemployment rate was also 5.6 percent, up 0.1 percentage points from the previous month, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Attributing the marginal increase of the February figure to seasonal factors, NBS spokesperson Fu Linghui said China's employment environment has favorable conditions and solid foundations conducive to maintaining stability.

He cited factors, including the overall economic upturn and the accelerated recovery of contact-based services, which will expand the employment market.

China will also upgrade policy support, as the country proposed to create around 12 million new urban jobs in 2023 in its government work report, larger than the target number set for last year, according to Fu.

The surveyed unemployment rate among those aged between 25 and 59, which constitute the majority of the labor market, came in at 4.8 percent in February.

The surveyed unemployment rate in 31 major cities was 5.7 percent last month, NBS data revealed.

The surveyed urban unemployment rate is calculated based on the number of unemployed people who have participated in the employment survey in urban areas, including migrant workers in cities.