BEIJING, May 19 -- China's job market remained generally stable in April, with the surveyed urban unemployment rate dropping on a month-on-month basis, official data showed on Monday.

The surveyed urban unemployment rate on average in China edged down from 5.2 percent in March to 5.1 percent in April, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

In 31 major cities, the figure also dropped by 0.1 percentage point to 5.1 percent, the NBS data showed.

During the first four months of this year, the surveyed urban unemployment rate on average was 5.2 percent, staying flat with the same period last year.

China's steady economic growth, improving industrial performance and expanding new growth drivers, along with stronger support for employment among key groups, have helped keep the job market stable, NBS spokesperson Fu Linghui said at a press conference on Monday.

China has set a target for a surveyed urban unemployment rate of around 5.5 percent in 2025, and aims to create over 12 million new urban jobs.

As external uncertainties persist, greater efforts will be made to stabilize and expand employment, promote full employment, raise job quality and improve livelihoods, Fu added.