Nearly half of urban Chinese employees expect pay rises or to change jobs in the new year, according to a recent survey.

The findings were released by Beijing-based polling agency Horizon Group after quizzing more than 4,000 households nationwide.

Two in three urbanites, or 67.4 percent, anticipate an income rise next year compared with 70.2 percent for township residents and 75.6 percent for rural dwellers.

And two in five city residents, or 39.9 percent, plan to move to a job which is more satisfying.

But it's not just work on their minds: One in four (25.1 percent) plan to travel for leisure, thanks to rising disposable incomes.

One in 10 of the respondents, or their children, expect to marry next year. Purchase of a house is also a priority: 18.1 percent say they wang to buy a house next year.

The findings showed that Chinese people's outlook confidence index has been on the increase annually since 2002.

Source: Xinhua