BEIJING, March 1 -- The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's manufacturing sector came in at 50.2 in February, up 1.1 percentage points from the previous month and bouncing back to the expansion zone, official data showed on Saturday.

A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 reflects contraction.

National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) statistician Zhao Qinghe said the PMI data in February was influenced by factors including enterprises resuming production after the Spring Festival holiday .

NBS data also revealed that the sub-indices of production and new orders came in at 52.5 and 51.1, respectively.

The February PMI for the equipment manufacturing sector and high-tech manufacturing sector stood at 50.8 and 50.9, respectively, according to the NBS.