The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's manufacturing sector rose to 50.3 percent in March, up from 50.2 percent in February.

It is the first month-on-month rise since November, according to a statement jointly released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing.

The index shows China's manufacturing sector is stable, said Zhao Qinghe, a senior analyst with the NBS, who attributed the rise to the resumption of production and business after the Spring Festival holiday (January 31-February 6).

Meanwhile, the PMI for the non-manufacturing sector stood at 54.5 percent in March.