China creates 2.89 mln new jobs in urban areas in 1Q: vice minister

China's job market has improved with 2.89 million new jobs being created in the first three months of 2010, Wang Xiaochu, Vice Minister of Labor and Human Resources, said here Thursday.

Wang told the "Global Jobs Pact" forum in Beijing the job market in China has stabilized with the registered jobless rate falling to 4.2 percent in urban areas in the first quarter from 4.3 percent at the end of 2009.

In spite of some achievements in tackling the global financial crisis, China still faces a "grave situation" in employment over the coming months, Wang said.

China aims to keep the urban registered unemployment rate below 4.6 percent in 2010.