China's non-manufacturing business activity posted steady performance in September with expansion in sectors such as construction, finance and postal service, official data showed on Monday.
The official non-manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) slowed slightly to 50 from 50.3 in August in Septermber, according to an industry report jointly compiled by the National Bureau of Statistics' Service Industry Survey Center and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing. The 50-point mark separates expansion from contraction.
A breakdown of the data showed the construction industry maintained expansion with a reading of 50.7, up from 50.6 recorded last month. Housing construction and civil engineering construction both remained in the expansionary territory.
The business activity index and new order index for monetary and financial services rose for two consecutive months to above 55.
"The financial services industry is very active, which has driven the growth of the entire real economy. Generally speaking, the economic operation has been in a virtuous cycle," said Cai Jin, vice chairman of China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing.
In terms of physical consumption, the retail PMI climbed for three consecutive months to over 51 in September. The postal service PMI picked up for three consecutive months and remained above 60 for two consecutive months, pointing to booming online consumer spending.
China's non-manufacturing sector performs steadily in September
China's nearshore fishery resources have maintained a maximum sustainable yield of over 10 million tonnes, alleviating the trend of resource decline following a series of measures to promote the sustainable and healthy development of the industry, an official with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said at a press conference in Beijing on Monday.
In recent years, China has optimized its seasonal fishing ban system, and further extended the period to promote the recovery of nearshore fishery resources.
China's summer fishing ban, starting on May 1 annually, is part of the country's efforts to protect marine fishery resources and the ecological environment. No fishing activities are allowed in the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea, and the waters north to 12 degrees north latitude of the South China Sea during the moratorium period.
With the management of total marine fishery resources and the "double control" system aimed at controlling both the total number of fishing vessels and the amount of engine power, China has limited its total domestic marine fisheries catch to within 10 million tonnes, and the number of large and medium-sized fishing vessels within 50,000.
"We have established 169 national-level marine ranches, deployed over 20 million cubic meters of artificial fish reefs, and released more than 20 billion artificially-bred marine life of various species. We are conducting surveys in 51 national marine aquatic germplasm resources conservation areas, and carrying out regular investigations into nearshore fishery resources and ecological monitoring of fishing areas," said Liu Xinzhong, director of the Bureau of Fisheries under the ministry.
According to surveys and monitoring, China's nearshore fishery resources have seen slight fluctuations in recent years, but maintained a steady momentum, with the maximum sustainable yield of the resources staying above 10 million tonnes.
China takes measures to alleviate decline of fishery resources
