The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's manufacturing sector stood at 50.4 in March, up 1.4 percentage points from the previous month, official data showed Tuesday.
The positive rebound followed two consecutive months of contraction, indicating improvement in China's manufacturing activity. A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while one below 50 reflects contraction. The sub-index for new orders stood at 51.6 in March, up 3 percentage points from last month.
From an industry perspective, the sub-indices for new orders in sectors such as equipment manufacturing and high-tech manufacturing rose to above 53 and 54 from the previous month, respectively.
The new order indices for the two sectors have remained in expansion territory for 20 and 14 consecutive months, respectively, indicating that demand in the new growth drivers continues to expand.
Driven by the rising demand in the consumer goods market following the Spring Festival, the new order index for consumer goods manufacturing reached to above 52, up more than 3 percentage points from last month.
"By industry, the equipment manufacturing, high-tech manufacturing, raw material manufacturing, and consumer goods manufacturing sectors have all shown signs of recovery. Positive developments have been seen across large, medium, and small enterprises, and the overall market is trending upward," said He Hui, vice president of the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing.
The sub-index for production rose to 51.4, up 1.8 percentage points month on month.
The purchasing volume index stood at 50.9, up 2.7 percentage points from the previous month.
"With both supply and demand expanding simultaneously, manufacturing firms have accelerated production, and market demand has improved significantly. As companies have become more willing to purchase, this month's purchasing volume index has also risen above the threshold," said Huo Lihui, a chief statistician with the National Bureau of Statistics.
China's manufacturing PMI at 50.4 in March
The World Data Organization (WDO) has brought together more than 200 members from over 40 countries worldwide, as a newly established international platform for cross-border data collaboration.
The World Data Organization is the first professional international organization focused on advancing data development and governance practices. Established on Monday with its headquarters in Beijing, the organization serves as a global, non-governmental, and non-profit platform for dialogue, rule-making, and collaboration.
The diverse membership of the WDO includes enterprises, universities, think tanks, international organizations and financial institutions, spanning 14 industries such as manufacturing, finance, healthcare, e-commerce, transportation, energy and agriculture, with members from over 40 countries. This broad global footprint and diversified membership have enabled the WDO to preliminarily form a collaborative ecosystem with broad coverage and multi-party synergy.
Zhao Houlin, former secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union, noted its unique value in nurturing global digital talent and facilitating cross-border knowledge sharing.
"This platform can help us train and cultivate leading talent in the field of data communications from all countries. Through this platform, these professionals will gain insights into China's development experience as well as that of other nations, and can better apply what they have learned to the economic construction and technological advancement of their home countries," said Zhao Houlin, former secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union.
While talent development stands as a core pillar of the WDO's mission, global industry leaders also highlighted the organization's critical role in bridging data division and advancing inclusive digital growth, as cross-border data flows face rising risks of division and barriers.
"Data in the cloud is one thing that can create huge borders, so we must work together. So I think what you're seeing now is China saying we're looking into the problems and the solutions and we're trying to address that," said Jack Perry, chairman of the 48 Group.
Looking ahead, the WDO will focus on two core missions. The first is breaking barriers by harmonizing global data policies to support governments and research institutions, while lowering compliance costs for multinational enterprises. The second is building ecosystems through the deployment of data applications in sectors such as healthcare and education. Through these efforts, the organization aims to strengthen talent development, particularly in the Global South, to effectively bridge the digital divide.
It is expected that by 2030, the World Data Organization will become an internationally influential platform and a trusted hub in the data field.
World Data Organization gathers over 200 members across more than 40 countries
