BEIJING - China's internet and related sectors have returned to double-digit growth in business revenue and research development in the first half of this year (H1) amid the COVID-19 epidemic, official data showed.

Major internet companies raked in 590.7 billion yuan ($84.6 billion) in the January-June period, up 14.1 percent year-on-year, which is 12.6 percentage points higher than the growth rate registered in the first quarter (Q1), according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

In H1, the operating profit of the industry snapped the sharp slump in Q1, rising by 2.8 percent year-on-year to 52.2 billion yuan.

The sector's spending on research and development totaled 31.3 billion yuan in H1, increasing by 10.7 percent over the same period last year.

The internet sector has become a key component of China's "new economy" as the country undergoes a growth shift, driven more by technology and consumption.

MIIT statistics cover enterprises with annual revenue from internet services of above 5 million yuan in the previous year.