BEIJING, March 17 -- China's fixed-asset investment went up 4.1 percent year on year in the first two months of this year, 0.9 percentage points higher than the full-year growth rate of 2024, official data showed Monday.

The investment totaled 5.2619 trillion yuan (about 734 billion U.S. dollars) during the January-February period, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said in a statement.

"Investment growth in manufacturing and infrastructure construction has propelled a pickup in overall investment growth," NBS spokesperson Fu Linghui told a press conference Monday. Fu attributed the boost to the country's efforts in promoting large-scale equipment upgrades and bolstering infrastructure that enhances public well-being.

Manufacturing investment increased 9 percent in the first two months, outpacing overall investment growth. Investment in infrastructure construction rose 5.6 percent year on year during the period, accelerating by 1.2 percentage points from that of 2024, NBS data showed.

High-tech manufacturing is also gaining momentum, with investment in aerospace vehicles and equipment manufacturing jumping 27.1 percent and computer and office device manufacturing surging 31.6 percent.

Looking ahead, Fu said China's manufacturing sector is poised for further expansion. Accelerated industrial upgrading, breakthroughs in technology innovation and vigorous government support are expected to drive continued investment growth.

To drive stable investment growth, Fu added that China will actively expand effective investment, focus on improving investment efficiency and leverage various government tools to better mobilize private capital.