Premier Li Keqiang has called for greater urgency in rolling out measures to support the virus-battered economy.

"All localities and departments should step up their sense of urgency, and new measures that can be used should be used," Li said at a symposium on Wednesday, according to CCTV.

The premier added that efforts to support the economy should bring it "back to normal quickly" after acknowledging that indicators have "weakened significantly" since March, with a particular dip in April.

Lockdowns have constricted supply chains, quelled demand and stalled manufacturing. Figures out this week showed both retail sales and industrial production on the mainland last month slumped to their lowest growth in two years, while unemployment edged back towards its February 2020 peak.

China has targeted full-year GDP growth of around 5.5 percent. (AFP)