Covid: China 2022 economic growth hit by coronavirus restrictions

China's economy grew last year at the second slowest rate in almost half a century - in a sign of how the country's strict coronavirus regulations have affected businesses.

Official figures show gross domestic product (GDP) in the world's second largest economy rose by 3% in 2022.

That is way below the government's target of 5.5% but better than most economists had forecast.

Last month Beijing abruptly lifted its strict zero-Covid policy.

The policy had a major impact on the country's economic activity last year but the sudden relaxation of the rules has led to a jump in Covid cases that threatens to also drag on growth in the early part of this year.

Other than at the start of the pandemic in 2020, when full-year GDP expanded 2.2%, last year's economic growth was the weakest since 1976.

Economists have warned over the state of the global economy in recent months, pointing to several issues having an impact on growth.

The organisation's latest forecast blamed a number of factors stemming from Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the impact of the pandemic.

It said the US, the eurozone and China - the three most influential parts of the world for economic growth - were "all undergoing a period of pronounced weakness", a downturn that was worsening the problems faced by poorer countries.

GDP is a measure - or an attempt to measure - all the activity of the government, companies and individuals in a country.

It helps businesses to judge when to expand and hire more people, and governments to work out how much to tax and spend.

On Monday, data released by China's National Bureau of Statistics showed that prices of new homes declined for the fifth straight month in December.

Prices in the final month of 2022 fell by 0.2% from a month earlier as Covid-19 outbreaks across the country hurt demand.

Last week, International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director Kristalina Georgieva urged Beijing to continue reopening its economy.

"What is most important is for China to stay the course, not to back off from that reopening," Ms Georgieva said.

"If they stay the course, by mid-year or there around, China will turn into a positive contributor to average global growth," she added.