China making youth unemployment a ‘top priority

China’s President Xi Jinping has declared tackling high youth unemployment a “top priority” ahead of a key economic meeting in July. Official data showed the youth jobless rate at 14.7% in April, with 11.8 million new graduates entering the market in June. Analysts expect policy reforms like wage subsidies and job training programs to better match graduate skills with employer demands. Xi urged creating more jobs aligned with industrial priorities and encouraging entrepreneurship, signaling larger-scale reforms may be unveiled to address the persistent unemployment issue hindering China’s economic recovery. Photo: AFP