BEIJING — China’s value-added industrial output, an important economic indicator, expanded 6.5 percent year-on-year in May, flat with April, official data showed on June 14.

The 6.5 percent increase accelerated from the 6 percent increase in the same month last year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

In the first five months, industrial output rose 6.7 percent year-on-year.

Industrial output, officially called industrial value added, is used to measure the activity of designated large enterprises with annual turnover of at least 20 million yuan (about $2.9 million).

Ownership analysis showed that industrial output of state-holding enterprises was up 6.2 percent in May, while output of share-holding enterprises grew 6.8 percent. Meanwhile, industrial output of enterprises funded by overseas investors increased 5.9 percent.

In a breakdown, manufacturing output expanded 6.9 percent year on year in May, while mining output growth rose 0.5 percent year on year.