China created a total of 6.98 million new urban jobs in the first half of the year, Xinhua News Agency reported, citing official data on 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. Source: Emirates News Agency