BEIJING - China's value-added industrial output, an important economic indicator, increased mildly in August -- an encouraging sign for a slowing economy.

Industrial output expanded 6.3 percent year on year last month, faster than the 6-percent increase for July and the 6.1 percent posted for the same period of last year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Tuesday.

Industrial output measures the output of Chinese companies with annual main business revenue of more than 20 million yuan ($3 million).

According to the breakdown, the industrial output in less-developed western regions rose 7.9 percent, followed by 7.8 percent for central regions and 7.2 percent in the east.

However, northeastern areas plagued by serious overcapacity did not fare so well, with a 2 percent output drop.

By sectors, automobile manufacturing jumped 21.4 percent in August, followed by 11.5 percent in the pharmaceutical sector and 10.6 percent in electronics manufacturing, NBS said.

In the first eight months, industrial output increased 6 percent from a year ago.