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China's jobless rate for its youngest workers fell to 15.6 percent in May, the lowest level in 11 months, official data showed on Monday, ahead of a record wave of college graduates entering the job market.

6月22日公布的官方数据显示，5月份中国16至24岁青年劳动力失业率降至15.6%，为11个月以来的最低水平。这一数据发布之际，新一轮创纪录的高校毕业生即将进入就业市场。

The unemployment rate for the 16-to-24 age group, excluding students, dropped 0.7 percentage points from 16.3 percent in April, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
据国家统计局数据，16至24岁青年劳动力（不含在校生）失业率较4月份的16.3%下降了0.7个百分点。

The rate had peaked at 18.9 percent in August — the highest since China revised its survey methodology in December 2023 — before declining steadily between September and February.
该失业率在去年8月曾达到18.9%的峰值——这是自2023年12月中国调整调查方法以来的最高水平，随后在去年9月至今年2月期间持续回落。

It ticked up again in March before resuming its downward trajectory in April and May.
3月份该数据再度小幅回升，随后在4月和5月重新进入下行通道。

The improvement was broad-based across age groups. The unemployment rate for the 25-to-29 age group cohort fell to 7.2 percent in May from 7.4 percent in April, the lowest in three months, while the rate for the 30-to-59 age group edged down to 4.1 percent from 4.2 percent, a four-month low.
失业率的改善在不同年龄段具有普遍性。25至29岁年龄组失业率从4月份的7.4%降至5月份的7.2%，为三个月来最低；30至59岁年龄组失业率则从4.2%微降至4.1%，创四个月新低。

The overall urban survey unemployment rate stood at 5.1 percent, down 0.1 percentage point from April.
全国城镇调查失业率为5.1%，较4月份下降0.1个百分点。

Li Chang'an, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics' Academy of China Open Economy Studies, attributed the improvement to stable macroeconomic fundamentals and the continued strengthening of pro-employment policies, particularly those targeting young people.
对外经济贸易大学中国开放经济研究院教授李长安将失业率的改善归因于宏观经济基本面的稳定以及稳就业政策的持续发力，尤其是针对青年群体的就业支持政策。

"The employment first policy, I should say, has played a very positive role," he said.
“应该说，就业优先政策发挥了非常积极的作用，”他说。

China has made job creation a top priority. Earlier this month, the State Council, China's Cabinet, unveiled a plan to place an "employment first" strategy into action over the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period. The blueprint seeks to stabilize overall employment while better aligning what