Business
China youth unemployment climbs to 17.8% in July as labour market pressures persist
China’s youth jobless rate rose sharply in July, underscoring the uneven recovery in the world’s second-largest economy despite recent signs of resilience.
The unemployment rate for 16- to 24-year-olds, excluding college students, climbed to 17.8% from 14.5% in June, the National Bureau of Statistics said Tuesday. That marks one of the steepest monthly increases since Beijing began publishing the adjusted youth figures earlier this year.
For 25- to 29-year-olds, also excluding students, unemployment edged up to 6.9% in July from 6.7% in June. In contrast, joblessness among workers aged 30 to 59 slipped to 3.9% from 4.0%, highlighting how young workers are bearing the brunt of sluggish hiring in services and private firms.
The figures come as policymakers seek to stabilise growth through targeted stimulus and support for private enterprise. While retail sales and factory output have shown improvement, labour market strains—especially among younger workers—remain a key test for Beijing’s efforts to sustain confidence in the economy.