The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's manufacturing sector stood at 50.1 in December, up 0.9 percentage points from the previous month, official data showed. A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 reflects contraction.

The PMI for large enterprises came in at 50.8, an increase of 1.5 percentage points, while the reading for medium-sized enterprises stood at 49.8, up 0.9 percentage points. The PMI for small enterprises stood at 48.6, down 0.5 percentage points from the previous month, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

In December, the sub-index for production stood at 51.7, up 1.7 percentage points from the previous month. On the demand side, the sub-index for new orders came in at 50.8, up 1.6 percentage points, according to the NBS. (Xinhua)