Growth was supported by a surge of exports from Chinese manufacturers, as customers and producers alike took advantage of the U.S.-China trade war ceasefire.

Companies redirected exports through other countries to avoid U.S. tariffs and policymakers turned up investment in manufacturing and infrastructure.

China's economy is likely to have cooled in the second quarter after a solid start to the year, as trade tensions and a prolonged property downturn drag on demand, raising pressure on policymakers to roll out additional stimulus to underpin growth.