In April, the year-on-year increase was 7.3%, down from 8.3% in March.

Retail sales have increased 14.8%, especially in rural areas, with food, clothing, cars and home decoration performing the strongest.

But figures released on Tuesday showed a drop in the country's exports for a sixth successive month, a concern in a trade-dependent economy.

However, analysts remain optimistic that China will be the first to make its way out of recession, the BBC's Chris Hogg reports.