Activity in China's non-manufacturing industries continued to expand in November at a faster pace than in the previous month, an official survey showed Thursday.

China's non-manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) in November came in at 54.7, firming from 54 in October, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing revealed.

This is the third consecutive month that the pace of growth has picked up from the previous month, said NBS senior statistician Zhao Qinghe.

The last time China's non-manufacturing PMI was higher was in June 2014, when it reached 55, according to NBS data.