China's industrial output up 4.5 pct in August

BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- China's industrial output sustained stable growth in August with booming new growth drivers and strong exports.

The country's value-added industrial output, an important economic indicator, expanded 4.5 percent year on year in August, official data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed Saturday.

On a monthly basis, the industrial output edged up 0.32 percent in August from the previous month.

The industrial output measures the activity of enterprises each with an annual main business turnover of at least 20 million yuan (about 2.82 million U.S. dollars).

Addressing a press conference, NBS spokesperson Liu Aihua said that nearly 80 percent of industries and over 50 percent of products registered year-on-year increases.

The equipment manufacturing sector contributed 47.9 percent to the entire industrial output growth, she said, adding that new growth drivers for the manufacturing sector are being strengthened.

Last month, the output of electronic and communication devices saw double-digit year-on-year increases for 10 consecutive months. The value-added output of smart unmanned aircraft soared by 54 percent, and the production of new energy vehicles surged by 30.5 percent, Liu said.

Meanwhile, the export delivery value of the industrial sector climbed 6.4 percent year on year in August, maintaining a fast growth momentum, while that of automobiles saw double-digit growth for nine consecutive months, Liu said.

In the first eight months, the value-added industrial output posted a stable 5.8 percent year-on-year growth, the NBS data showed.