BEIJING, June 1 -- Business activity in China's non-manufacturing sector expanded at slower pace in May, official data showed on Wednesday.

The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for the non-manufacturing sector came in at 53.1 in May, down from 53.5 in April and 53.8 in March, according to a report released jointly by the National Bureau of Statistics and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing.

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