China´s top industrial official sees "positive signs" but cautious about recovery

However, the monthly rebound in February was not comparable, as the Spring Festival holiday, which subdues industrial activity, fell in February last year but in January this year, said Li.

The "obviously slowed slump" shows "some positive signs" have emerged in the economy but the situation remains "grim" and the industrial sector is still "in a very difficult situation", he said.

"We must not treat the difficulties lightly or easily talk about a recovery," said Li.

Other indicators pointing to a warming-up industrial production include a year-on-year increase of 2.4 percent in unprocessed steel output for the January-February period and 3.1 percent in steel products output, said Li.

Unprocessed steel output dropped 10.5 percent year on year to 37.8 million metric tons in December, NBS figures show.

Li also said auto production slid 1.7 percent in the January-February period from the same period last year to 1.53 million units, a much slower contraction.