The purchasing managers' index for China's manufacturing sector came in at 51.9 in March, up from 50.6 in February, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed on Wednesday, indicating a faster-than-expected recovery and soaring demand from the wider economy.

The bureau's figures show that PMI for large businesses was 52.7%, while it was 51.6% for medium-sized enterprises and 50.4% for small firms, all up from the February levels.

A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below reflects contraction. The index is a key barometer of the health of the nation's manufacturing sector.

The production subindex stood at 53.9 in March, up 2 percentage points from February, while the subindex for new orders rose to 53.6%, up 2.1 percentage points from last month, indicating a faster expansion of production and demand in the manufacturing sector, according to the bureau.