MKsports East China's Jiangsu Province produce and package greeting cards on September 18, 2024 to fill export orders from Europe and the US. According to the General Administration of Customs, China's exports of manufactured products totaled 15.7 trillion yuan ($2.2 trillion) in the first eight months of 2024, up 7.2 percent year-on-year. " src="https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2024/2024-09-18/f263825a-c94e-4108-8d23-89d0701abed0.jpeg" />

Workers at a printing factory in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province, produce and package greeting cards on September 18, 2024, to fill export orders from Europe and the US. According to the General Administration of Customs, China's exports of manufactured products totaled 15.7 trillion yuan ($2.2 trillion) in the first eight months of 2024, up 7.2 percent year-on-year. Photo: VCG Photo: VCG

The Caixin China General Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), a private gauge of the operating conditions of the country's manufacturing sector, came in at 50.8 in February, up 0.7 points compared with the previous month, marking the highest point in three months, underscoring the accelerated expansion in the country's manufacturing sector.

A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 reflects contraction.

Monday's figure echoes the official PMI figure released on Saturday. The official PMI for the manufacturing sector came in at 50.2 in February, up 1.1 points from the previous month and bouncing back into the expansion zone, said the National Bureau of Statistics.

According to the Caixin manufacturing PMI, both supply and demand in the manufacturing sector accelerated their expansion in February. The production index and new order index rose to their highest in three months. Along with improvement in the international market, the new export order index reached the highest level since May 2024.

"Overall, the market showed clear signs of recovery in February, with manufacturers launching new products," said Wang Zhe, a senior economist at Caixin Insight Group.

Both supply and demand grew, with the gauges for output and total new orders remaining in expansion territory for the 16th and fifth consecutive months, respectively, both reaching their highest levels in three months. New export orders increased, ending a two-month decline, with the corresponding gauge rising to its highest level since April last year, the data showed.

The Spring Festival holiday period saw robust consumption momentum, and technological innovations in certain industries added to the positive sentiment, helping sustain the manufacturing market recovery, Wang said, noting that policies should prioritize demand-side measures, strengthen countercyclical adjustments, and promote higher household incomes and consumer confidence.

Global Times