BEIJING — The production of China's cement industry expanded steadily in the first eight months, data showed.

Cement output totaled 1.47 billion tons in the Jan-Aug period, registering a year-on-year growth of 7 percent, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

In August, the output of cement stood at 210 million tons, up 5.1 percent year-on-year.

The sector raked in 542.5 billion yuan (about $76.3 billion) in revenue in the first seven months, up 16.2 percent from a year ago, while the profit in the period increased 27.2 percent to 99.7 billion yuan.

The MIIT said it will promote the industry's transformation and upgrade by focusing on intelligent and environmentally-friendly development.