China's National Bureau of Statistics registered urban unemployment rate dropped to 4.2 percent in 2004, down 0.1 percent from 2003.

NBS director Li Deshui acknowledged at a press conference Tuesday that this is the first decrease of the unemployment rate in many years.

He said the sound growth of China's economy and efforts by governments at various levels helped ensure the drop in the unemployment rate last year.

NBS's figures show that new employees in urban areas reached 9.8 million, 800,000 more than expected.

However, the country's top statistician said it's difficult to conclude that China's unemployment rate will continue to drop due to uncertainties like economic slowdowns, improvement of technology and population growth.

(CRI January 27, 2005)