China steps up aid as youth jobless rate edges higher

China's youth unemployment rate climbed slightly in July amid seasonal fluctuations, while the government is stepping up efforts to stimulate the labor market and expand job opportunities for young people.

The unemployment rate for people ages 16 to 24, excluding students, rose to 17.8 percent in July, up from 17.1 percent in July 2024, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. The rate stood at 14.5 percent in June and 14.9 percent in May.

Authorities have rolled out a series of measures to boost youth employment. Earlier in July, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security launched a program running through December to provide job services and assistance for fresh college graduates and registered unemployed youths. The support includes policy briefings, job-hunting guidance, skills training and workplace rights protection.

Local governments are also offering incentives. Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, announced that employers can receive a one-time subsidy of 1,500 yuan ($209) for each new hire. Eligible employees include recent graduates, young people who have been out of school for up to two years without securing work, and registered jobless youths ages 16 to 24. Employers must sign standard labor contracts with new hires and pay unemployment, workplace injury and pension insurance for at least three months. The subsidy program runs until Dec 31.