BEIJING, Aug. 19 -- China's natural gas output registered faster growth in July, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed.

The country produced 18.4 billion cubic meters of natural gas last month, up 7.6 percent from a year earlier. The growth rate was 2.1 percentage points higher than that of June.

The country imported 10.31 million tonnes of natural gas last month, up 18.5 percent year on year, according to the bureau.

From January to July, China's natural gas output rose 5.7 percent year on year to 134 billion cubic meters.