China’s non-manufacturing sector maintains growth momentum in January

China's non-manufacturing sector maintained its growth momentum in January, with the Business Activity Index, which reflects the sector's overall performance, remaining above the 50-percent threshold.

However, the index stood at 50.2 percent, down 2 percentage points from December, signaling moderate growth.

By industry, sectors such as housing construction and infrastructure experienced a seasonal slowdown ahead of the Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, leading to a dip in supply and demand.

Despite this, construction companies remain optimistic about future market prospects, with the Business Activity Expectation Index staying above 56 percent.

After the Spring Festival, construction-related activities are expected to rebound as enterprises accelerate the resumption of operations.

In the service sector, the Chinese New Year boosted market activity, pushing the Business Activity Index for related industries back into expansion territory.

"Industries like catering, accommodation and retail performed well, while financial services remained vibrant, laying a solid foundation for future economic recovery," said Cai Jin, president of the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP).

Additionally, sectors such as air transportation, postal services, telecommunications and satellite transmission services maintained robust growth in January, with their Business Activity Index staying above 55 percent, reflecting sustained strong demand and rapid business expansion.

The purchasing managers' index for China's manufacturing sector came in at 49.1 in January, down from 50.1 in December, the CFLP, together with the National Bureau of Statistics' Service Survey Center announced on Monday.

China’s non-manufacturing sector maintains growth momentum in January

China’s non-manufacturing sector maintains growth momentum in January

China’s non-manufacturing sector maintains growth momentum in January

China’s non-manufacturing sector maintains growth momentum in January

The champion robots from last year's inaugural World Humanoid Robot Games on Friday issued a global invitation for more international robotics teams to enter the event's second edition, which will be held in Beijing later this year.

The advanced humanoids appeared alongside other officials to make the invitation from the China Media Group (CMG)'s special studio in the Italian city of Milan, where the 2026 Winter Olympics will kick off later on the same day.

The robot delegation, which is comprised of some of the winning bots from the inaugural Robot Games, are not only supporting the CMG's Winter Olympics coverage on site, but also visiting landmarks, universities, and research institutes across Milan to promote exchanges and cooperation.

The first World Humanoid Robot Games were held in Beijing last August, marking a historic milestone in the advancement of robotics and artificial intelligence.

The event drew 280 teams from 16 countries, including the United States, Germany and Italy, to compete in 26 events, which included the world's first humanoid robot 100-meter sprint and a fully autonomous 5v5 robot football match.

Reigning humanoid robot champions invite more global teams to join upcoming Beijing Games