China's manufacturing sector saw a rise in growth in March, a preliminary survey showed Thursday.

The HSBC flash purchasing managers' index (PMI) rebounded by more than expected in March, rising to 51.7 percent, up from the previous month's 50.4 percent, HSBC said in a statement.

The flash PMI reading reached a two-year high of 51.9 percent in January, but fell in February, partly because of China's Spring Festival holidays.