China's machinery industry experienced expanded growth in both output and sales volumes in the first eight months this year, said Wang Ruixiang, President of the China Machinery Industry Federation.

During the January-August period, the industry's output grew by 26.42 percent to reach 10.66 trillion yuan ($1.67 trillion), while sales volume increased by 26.16 percent to stand at 10.4 trillion yuan ($1.62 trillion), said Wang.

Between 2001 and 2010, the industry's total output value grew from 1.44 trillion yuan ($225 billion) to 14.38 trillion yuan ($2.25 trillion), registering an average annual growth rate of 25 percent on the heels of a series of policies issued by the State Council, which aimed to stimulate and invigorate the development of the country's equipment manufacturing industry.

But Wang warned that China still has a long way to go before achieving its goal of being a country with a strong and competitive machinery industry.