BEIJING — The volume of freight carried on China's railways reported a year-on-year increase of 4.1 percent last year, as economic activity steadily recovered.

Railways transported 3.58 billion metric tons of cargo in 2020, up 141 million tonnes compared to a year earlier, according to data from the China State Railway Group (China Railway).

The number of containers transported through railways surged 36.7 percent year-on-year, the data showed.

Rail cargo volume is widely seen as a key indicator for economic activity.