BEIJING, April 18 -- China's value-added service output went up 5.4 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2023, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed Tuesday.

The first-quarter growth rate accelerated by 3.1 percentage points from the pace recorded in the fourth quarter of last year, NBS data showed.

The recovery in the service sector, which contributed 69.5 percent to overall GDP growth in the first quarter, has been a bright spot of the economic operations since the beginning of this year, said NBS spokesperson Fu Linghui at a press conference.

The value-added output of catering and accommodation sector expanded 13.6 percent year on year, in sharp contrast to a decline of 5.8 percent in the fourth quarter last year, said Fu.

Passenger flows and logistics increased significantly, said Fu, citing that the value-added output of transportation, warehousing, and postal sectors rose 4.8 percent in the first quarter, reversing a decline of 3.9 percent in the previous quarter.

The value-added output of information transmission, software, and IT service sectors climbed 11.2 percent year on year in the first quarter, revealing a sound growth momentum of modern service industries.

Noting that the foundation for the rebound in the service sector is still not solid, Fu called for efforts to expand domestic demand, enhance residents' income, improve the consumption environment, and promote the healthy development of the service sector.