BEIJING - In the first 11 months of this year, 12.02 million new jobs were created in China, surpassing the goal of 9 million new jobs, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MHRSS) said Tuesday.

The urban registered unemployment rate stood at 4.1 percent at the end of September, below the annual target of 4.6 percent, said Minister Yin Weimin.

The employment situation has been better than expected this year amid the backdrop of slowing global economic recovery and downward pressures weighing on the domestic economy, Yin said while addressing a national human resources and social security work conference.

Zhou Tianyong, a professor with the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said the double-digit economic growth in China's central and western regions has been a major engine for creating job opportunities.

In the first half of 2012, the newly increased employed population in cities located in the country's central and western regions expanded 9 percent and 14 percent, respectively, according to the ministry.

Meanwhile, massive layoffs have also been rare this year, as a continuous labor shortage left employers more prudent about staff cuts, Zhou added.

Yin also said at the Tuesday conference that in 2013, China will not let go of its goals to create at least 9 million new urban jobs and keep unemployment below 4.6 percent.

The focus of next year's work, according to Yin, will still be employment for college graduates, an expanding population that has hit 6.8 million this year.

China will carry out and improve policies in support of the employment and entrepreneurship of college graduates, expand their employment areas and introduce public recruitment services to campuses, Yin said.

During a recent two-day conference held to set the tone for next year's economic work, the central government pledged to give more attention to stabilizing and expanding employment, especially in terms of creating jobs for college graduates.

To boost employment, the government also vowed to support the development of small and micro enterprises and strengthen social responsibility among large enterprises at the conference held on December 15 and 16.

China's total urban population in search of employment reached 25 million in 2012, far exceeding the 12 million new jobs created annually in recent years, data show.

Analysts have pointed out that in addition to the pressure to create more jobs, there is a notable gap between the skills of the unemployed and the skills required for certain positions.

Most industries in China are currently facing a serious shortage of skilled workers. The manufacturing sector alone, according to the MHRSS, is in need of about 4 million senior technicians.

"China has to step up education for skilled workers and provide a large pool of talent with experience, superb skills and creativity," said Cai Jiming, director of Tsinghua University's Political Economy Research Center.

Conversely, public posts and positions with State-owned enterprises are enjoying increasing popularity. In late November, about 1.12 million candidates sat the National Public Servant Exam, which means one in every 53 candidates will get posts as public servants, on average.

In response to the trend of graduates flocking to public posts, Renmin University Professor Zheng Gongcheng said China has to narrow gaps between industries, between the rural and the urban, as well as those in incomes, benefits and social security in order to mobilize its talents.

"To fulfill the employment targets for 2013, China has to thoroughly implement a more proactive employment policy," said Yin.

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