BEIJING, July 23 (Xinhua) -- China created a total of 6.98 million new urban jobs in the first half of the year, official data showed Tuesday.

In June, the country's surveyed urban unemployment rate stood at five percent, with the employment situation remaining generally stable, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

The country has set an annual target of creating more than 12 million new urban jobs this year. It also aimed to keep the surveyed urban jobless rate at around 5.5 percent this year.

The ministry attributed the stable job market performance to the country's economic recovery, a rise in service consumption, and faster industrial growth.

However, the ministry cautioned that the external environment remains complex, domestic effective demand is still insufficient, and some enterprises continue to face relatively high pressures in production and operation, which requires greater efforts to boost employment.

China will continue efforts to foster new employment growth in areas such as advanced manufacturing and the digital economy, and provide more assistance to key groups, including college graduates and migrant workers, according to the ministry.

In May, information on 19 new professions was unveiled in the country. It primarily involved the digital economy, the green industry and community services. The new jobs reflect emerging trends in the job market driven by new technologies and demands.