Tian Chengping, Minister of Labor and Social Security, speaks at a press conference on China's employment situation in the Great Hall of the People March 13, 2007. [Xinhua]

China is still facing a tough employment task this year, given the emergence of more laid-off workers and new job-seekers, said Tian Chengping, Minister of Labor and Social Security, on Tuesday.

Urban unemployment rate will rise to 4.6 percent this year as growing numbers of college graduates put new pressure on the job market, the labor minister said.

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Tian said China aims to create 9 million new jobs and find work for an additional 5 million people laid-off from moribund state industries.

Enterprises, under deepened reforms, will lay off more workers, who have difficulties to find new jobs, Tian said at a press conference held on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature.

The growing population and the migration of farmers to cities are also creating job pressure, but the rise in college graduates from 4.13 million last year to 4.95 million this year is creating new complications, Tian said.

About 30 percent of last year's university graduates, or 1.2 million students, failed to find work, Tian said. he said their numbers contributed to a total of about 24 million Chinese who will be competing for 24 million jobs.

"It's still a pretty grim picture when it comes to employment and job creation," Tian.

As steps to alleviate the employment strain, the government will further boost economic development to create more jobs and carry out relevant fiscal, tax and financial policies to promote employment, he said.

The government will also strengthen training for all kinds of job seekers and help bridge contacts between job hunters and employers, he added.

The Chinese government has always attached great importance to the employment work due to the country's huge population.

Last year, more than 11.8 million urban residents got new jobs, hitting a record high, driven by a 10.7-percent GDP (gross domestic product) rise.

"We will try to help at least 9 million urbanites to find jobs this year," Tian said, adding Chinese cities will have 24 million new job seekers this year.

"To be more optimistic, we will strive to get 12 million urban people to find jobs, if calculating job positions left by new retirees," he said.

While relying on roaring economic growth of more than 10 percent last year to produce new jobs, the government is also trying to enact a social security net to provide subsidies, health care and retirement benefits to the unemployed and low income families.

China created 11.84 million new jobs last year, significantly beating government targets, Tian said.

Chinese institutions also produced 600,000 new technicians, he said, saying a lack of skilled workers has been blamed for labor shortfalls in some places along the more developed eastern coast.