Stability continued in China's stable job market in May, with unemployment relatively low, official data showed Thursday.

The monthly surveyed unemployment rate in urban areas was 4.8 percent in May, down 0.1 percentage points from April and 0.1 percentage points lower than last May, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Urban unemployment in 31 major cities was 4.7 percent in May, unchanged from April, and down 0.1 percentage points from last May.

From April this year, the NBS has released monthly survey results of unemployment rates for urban areas to improve macro-control and provide information for formulating employment policies.

The surveyed urban unemployment rate is calculated based on the number of unemployed people who have participated in the employment survey in urban areas, including migrant workers in cities.

The surveyed urban unemployment rate was first introduced in 2014 to better reflect the job market and serve as a supplement to the registered urban unemployment rate compiled by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.