The employment situation for China"s new college graduates has been progressing smoothly this year thanks to joint efforts by central and local governments and universities, the Ministry of Education said on Thursday.

China is expected to see a record 9.09 million college graduates this year, 350,000 more than last year, the ministry said.

Wang Hui, director of the ministry"s department of college student affairs, said although the stable economic recovery in the first quarter has laid a solid foundation for sound employment, the COVID-19 epidemic still has an impact on college students" employment and the situation remains complex and challenging.

Since last autumn, the ministry has worked with other departments to launch a campaign to help graduating students find jobs or start businesses, Wang said.