The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to 50.8 in March 2024, up from 49.1 in the previous month.
The non-manufacturing PMI, which includes services and construction sectors, also saw an increase, reaching its highest point since September with a rise to 53 from 51.4 in February.
This resurgence in factory activity is part of a broader set of optimistic indicators suggesting that the world's second-largest economy might be regaining stability after a period of sluggish growth following the end of strict COVID-19 restrictions in late 2022.