China’s urban youth unemployment rate for 16- to 24-year-olds, excluding students, fell to 16.5% in November 2025 from 16.9% in the previous month, marking the lowest level since June, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics released on Thursday. The improvement suggests tentative stabilization in the labor market amid a gradual economic recovery, supported by stronger services activity and targeted policy measures to support hiring. Meanwhile, unemployment among the 25–29-year-old segment, also excluding college students, dropped to 6.9% from 7.2%, while those in the 30–59 age group saw joblessness edge up to 3.9% from 3.8% in November. Separately, figures released earlier showed the country’s surveyed unemployment rate stood at 5.1% in December, unchanged for a second consecutive month and remaining at its lowest level in four months. For the full year of 2025, the urban unemployment rate averaged 5.2%.
