China increased crude output 1.2 percent in the first two months of this year to help meet rising energy demand in the world's fastest-growing major economy.

Production climbed to 30.78 million metric tons, according to an e-mailed statement today from the Beijing-based China National Bureau of Statistics.

Coal output rose 13 percent to 360 million tons and electricity output increased 11.3 percent to 516.9 billion kilowatt-hours, it said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Winnie Zhu in Shanghai at wzhu4@bloomberg.net.