China's urban unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent by the end of March, compared with the end of last year, said the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) at a recent press conference.

A total of 2.89 million new jobs were created in urban areas in the first quarter of 2010, accounting for 32 percent of the full-year job creation target of 9 million, said Yin Chengji, spokesman for the MOHRSS.

Strong economic growth and recovering corporate financial health are shoring up the job market this year, said Yin.