BEIJING -- China's factory activity set a record high in 17 months in September, an official survey showed, indicating a stable economic rebound.

China's purchasing managers' index for the manufacturing sector rose to 51.1 percent in September from 51 percent in August, the National Bureau of Statistics and the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing said on Tuesday.

It was the third consecutive month for the index to climb month on month and the figure has set a record high since May 2012.

Zhang Liqun, researcher at the Development Research Center of the State Council, said the new data edged up slightly but the growth rate was not sharp, indicating a weak rebound momentum.

A reading below 50 indicates contraction, while anything above signals expansion.