The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's manufacturing sector came in at 50.1 in September, up from 49.4 in August, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed Friday. 

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

"As policies and measures to stabilize the economy continue to take effect this month, and the negative effects of heat waves wane, the manufacturing PMI has bounced back to the expansion territory," the bureau's senior statistician Zhao Qinghe said.

The sub-index for production reached 51.5 in September, up 1.7 points from the previous month. Demand continued to improve, as the sub-index for new orders rose 0.6 points from August to 49.8. 

Friday's data also showed the PMI for China's non-manufacturing sector came in at 50.6 in September, down from 52.6 in August.