BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- China continued to see a stable job market in the first quarter this year, with the unemployment rate at a relatively low level, official data showed Tuesday.

From January to March, the monthly surveyed unemployment rate in urban areas was 5.0 percent, 5.0 percent, and 5.1 percent respectively, down 0.2 percentage points, 0.4 percentage points, and 0.1 percentage points from the same month last year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The urban surveyed unemployment rate in 31 major cities was 4.9 percent, 4.8 percent, and 4.9 percent respectively, down 0.1 percentage points, 0.2 percentage points, and 0.1 percentage points year on year.

"China's job market has remained stable supported by steady economic growth at a medium-high rate and China's pro-employment policies," said NBS head Ning Jizhe.

Ning said China's urban unemployment rate was lower than the worldwide average and that for developing countries.

Latest statistics from the International Labor Organization showed that the average unemployment rate worldwide was 5.7 percent and that for developing countries was 5.5 percent.

Despite improved employment conditions, Ning said challenges still remained as trade protectionism and world economic uncertainties rise.

Starting from April this year, the NBS will regularly release the monthly surveyed unemployment rate in urban areas to help the government 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.

The NBS Tuesday also said the number of migrant workers reached 174.41 million at the end of the first quarter, up 1.1 percent year on year.