BEIJING - China's value-added industrial output, an important economic indicator, expanded 6 percent year on year in April, compared with the 6.8 percent increase for March, official data showed Saturday.

In the first four months, industrial output rose 5.8 percent from a year earlier, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Industrial value-added output measures the output of Chinese companies with annual revenues above 20 million yuan ($3.3 million).

Industrial production accounted for 40.5 percent of China's total GDP in 2015, making it one of the leading indicators of economic growth.

In breakdown, industrial production in eastern regions climbed 5.9 percent in April. Central and western regions both rose faster, 7.1 percent and 7.3 percent up on the previous year, respectively.

Output of the hi-tech and auto manufacturing industries maintained strong growth, rising 8.3 percent and 12.1 percent, respectively.

Manufacturing output expanded 6.9 percent in April. Mining output rose 0.1 percent and the output of the electricity, heating, gas and water sectors grew 1.9 percent, the NBS said.