BEIJING — China's cement output rose at a faster pace in August as recovering economic activities drove demand for the building material, official data showed.

The country's cement production climbed 6.6 percent year-on-year in August, accelerating from July's 3.6-percent increase and the 5.1-percent growth registered in the same month last year, according to data from the National Development and Reform Commission.

In the first eight months of the year, the aggregate cement output fell 2.1 percent from one year earlier to 1.44 billion metric tons, but the decline narrowed from a fall of 3.5 percent in the January-July period.

The country is striving to return to work and resume business and production amid further COVID-19 containment measures.

The latest data show the country's purchasing managers' index for the manufacturing sector climbed to 51.5 in September from 51 in August, remaining in the expansion territory, above 50 for seven consecutive months.