The reopening from the Covid-19 restrictions pushed the Chinese economy to record a strong recovery in the first quarter of 2023.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed China's gross domestic product (GDP) grew 4.5% in the first quarter, higher than the previous quarter's 2.9% growth and expected to grow 4%.
The figure recorded was also the fastest growth in a year, where on an annual basis the economy grew by 2.2%.
However, economic indicators for March show a more mixed picture with investment growth likely to slow and industrial activity remaining weak.
Industrial output rose 3.9%, missing expectations for a 4.4% increase, while fixed asset investment was also lower, rising 5.1% compared to the 5.7% forecast.
Meanwhile, retail sales jumped 10.6% in March from a year ago, better than forecasts for a 7.5% rise.
China's economic growth became the focus of the world when it reopened after most of the Covid-19 restrictions that had been in place for 3 years were removed.
Last year, the world's second-largest economy grew by only 3% compared to expectations for an increase of around 5.5%.
As a result, for 2023 growth, the government has set a moderate projection for the economy to grow by around 5%.
