China's non-manufacturing sector held steady in November, official data showed Friday.

The purchasing managers' index for the sector came in at 53.4 in November, down from 53.9 in October, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said.

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

"Data showed that the non-manufacturing sector maintained its growth though at a slower pace," said the NBS in a statement.

The service sector grew faster in November, with its sub-index for business activities edging up 0.3 points to 52.4.

The sub-index for new orders was 50.1, unchanged from the previous month and slightly above the threshold, while that for sales prices edged down 1.8 points to 49.4.

The sub-index for new orders in the construction sector rose 0.3 points to 56.5, while that for sales prices in the sector dropped 1.2 points to 52.8, according to the NBS.

Moreover, the sub-index for business activities expectation rose 0.3 points to 60.9 and remained at a high level of the range, showing that non-manufacturing enterprises were optimistic about future market development.