China's manufacturing sector remained stable in May, revealed an official survey.

The manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) came in at 51.2 in May, flat with April, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP), said the Xinhua news agency report.

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

The sub-index for production stood at 53.4 in May, down from 53.8 in April, while the sub-index for new orders came in at 52.3 in May, unchanged from that in April.

The manufacturing PMI for medium-sized enterprises stood at 51.3 in May, up from 50.2 in April, while PMI for small enterprises came in at 51 in May, the highest in five years, added the report.