BEIJING -- China's railway cargo reported steady growth in the first half of this year, well on track to meet its annual target.

The country's railway cargo volume totaled 1.636 billion tonnes in H1, up 5.62 percent over a year ago, data from the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. showed.

The figure represents about 48.57 percent of the railway giant's annual railway cargo target.

Railway cargo volume totaled 283 million tonnes in June, up 8.7 percent year on year. Daily loaded cargo trains registered the highest monthly level last month.

The company aimed to lift railway cargo volume by 30 percent from 2017 levels to reach about 4.796 billion tonnes in 2020.