BEIJING, April 16 (Xinhua) -- China's fixed-asset investment went up 4.2 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2025, 1 percentage point higher than the full-year growth rate of 2024, official data showed Wednesday.

The investment totaled 10.32 trillion yuan (about 1.43 trillion U.S. dollars) during the period, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said in a statement.

The growth rate also marked an increase of 0.1 percentage points compared to that recorded in the first two months, the NBS data showed.

Investment in infrastructure construction rose 5.8 percent from a year ago during the period, and manufacturing investment increased 9.1 percent, according to the NBS data.

Excluding the property sector, the country's fixed-asset investment rose 8.3 percent in the first three months of 2025. Investment in property development fell 9.9 percent year on year during the period.

Addressing a press conference, Sheng Laiyun, deputy head of the NBS, said that China's real estate market remains in an adjustment period. However, with the country's ongoing urbanization, there is still growth potential in the sector, driven by strong demand for green, spacious and comfortable quality homes, he added.

Wednesday's data also showed that China's northeastern regions, including Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning provinces, recorded the fastest fixed-asset investment growth in the first quarter, rising by 9.7 percent.

High-tech industry saw robust fixed-asset investment growth, with investment in aerospace vehicle and equipment manufacturing soaring by 30.3 percent, while investment in computer and office device manufacturing surged by 28.5 percent.

Meanwhile, fixed-asset investment from the private sector grew by 0.4 percent in the first quarter, reversing a previous decline in 2024, Sheng said, noting that a raft of policies rolled out by the government aims to foster a fair business environment and encourage private sector investment.

The National Development and Reform Commission, China's top economic planner, announced in February that it will help private enterprises make contributions to major national strategies, enhance security capacities in key areas, and participate in large-scale equipment upgrades and consumer goods trade-in programs. This followed a high-profile symposium focusing on private enterprises attended by top Chinese leaders and representatives of private entrepreneurs on Feb. 17.