BEIJING — China’s youth unemployment rate soared above 17% in July to the highest level since the new system of record-keeping began in December, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

The unemployment rate for people in China ages 16 to 24, and not in school, rose to 17.1% last month, according to the latest data update Monday. That’s up from 13.2% in June.

China had suspended reports of the youth unemployment rate for much of the second half of last year as it said it was…