China created 9.94 million new jobs by the end of September, exceeding its target of 9 million jobs this year, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security announced Tuesday.

The country's registered urban unemployment rate was 4.1 percent at the end of September, said ministry spokesman Yin Chengji at a press conference on Tuesday.

The unemployment rate was unchanged from that at the end of second quarter, Yin said.

The country helped 4.36 million laid-off workers get re-employed during the first three quarters.

Yin said the country will intensify efforts to boost employment the rest of the year by introducing favorable tax policies and providing financial support.

A total of 235 million residents had joined the state-subsidized pension insurance programs by the end of September, while 66.94 million had started to receive pensions from the programs, Yin said.

The pension programs for urban and rural residents will be implemented on a trial basis in 60 percent of the country's cities and townships by the end of this year before being introduced nationwide next year.

China launched a pilot pension program for its 800 million-strong rural population in August 2009 as part of efforts to narrow the standard-of-living gap between rural and urban residents.

Farmers over 60 will receive a monthly endowment of varying amounts set according to their area's standard income levels after paying a fee to join the program.

Revenues of the country's social security fund climbed 26.9 percent year-on-year to reach 1.64 trillion yuan (255.94 billion U.S. dollars) during the first three quarters, while its total expenditures increased 21.2 percent to hit 1.29 trillion yuan, Yin said.

China issued 54 million social security cards during the same period, Yin said.