China's industrial output expanded 10.7 percent in June from a year earlier, faster than the 8.9 percent rate in May, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Thursday.

It is the first time since last September that the output reached double-digit growth after China launched the 4-trillion-yuan (US$588.24 billion) stimulus plan and scrapped lending restrictions to boost economy.

"The industrial production is accelerating, and the profit drop is easing," said Li Xiaochao, spokesman of the NBS at the press conference.

The industrial output growth rise to 7 percent for the first half, down 9.3 percentage points from the growth rate of the same period last year, said Li.

The figure rose to 9.1 percent in the second quarter from 5.1 percent in the first quarter, said Li.

Large industrial enterprises (those with annual revenue of more than 5 million yuan) made an aggregate profit of 850.2 billion yuan during the first five months, down 22.9 percent year on year, said Li.

(Xinhua News Agency July 16, 2009)