Caixin China General Manufacturing PMI, slated toward private and export-oriented companies, rose to 51.9 in December from November's 50.9 points, according to a survey by financial information service provider Markit and sponsored by Caixin Media.
For the growth in Singapore's manufacturing to be sustained, there must be stronger demand from global economies, said Mr Vishnu Varathan, senior economist at Mizuho Bank.
It said the rates of expansion in new orders and output were among the fastest seen over the survey's 25-year history and the performance added to evidence the UK's factories are feeling the benefit of sterling's weakness.
The headline Nikkei Philippines Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index climbed to 55.7 from 56.3 in November.
The manufacturing sector has been dwarfed by output from services, which accounts for about two-thirds of the U.S. economy. Employment has now declined in five of the past six months, with December's decrease being the most marked since August 2015.
"With the window for exchanging notes having closed at the end of December, January data will be key in showing whether the sector will see a quick rebound", De Lima said. The index has held above the 50 line separating growth from contraction every month since November 2013.
British manufacturing growth climbed to a two-and-a-half-year high last month, fuelled by new orders from both home and overseas and adding to signs the economy ended 2016 strongly, a survey showed on Tuesday.
The demand led to the growth of the country's economy to a 71-month high although it is also facing some risks brought about by Trump's presidency which hopes to target the country's trade industry through higher taxes and fees.
Firms hired more "to meet growth in new work", but job creation was the slowest since August. Manufacturers reported stronger hiring and higher prices for raw materials, which support other signs of labor-market strength and higher inflation.
