China's zero-COVID policy bites deep into economy |

China's export growth fell sharply to 3.9% in April, its weakest level since June 2020, as the effect of Beijing's stringent COVID-19 rules took its toll on trade in the country. Exports, measured in US dollars, fell from a 14.7% growth rate in March although the April figure did come in slightly above analysts' forecasts of 3.2%.
Imports were stagnant for April, showing almost no growth amid restricted domestic demand. The sluggish figures reflect the extent to which the Chinese economy has lost momentum in the face of prolonged lockdowns in some of its major economic hubs.