China's southern tech powerhouse Shenzhen has partially eased lockdown measures, after President Xi Jinping stressed the need to "minimise the impact" of the coronavirus pandemic on the nation's economy

China's southern tech powerhouse Shenzhen has partially eased lockdown measures, after President Xi Jinping stressed the need to "minimise the impact" of the coronavirus pandemic on the nation's economy.

The city of 17.5 million, under full lockdown since Sunday, resumed work, factory operations and public transport in four districts and a special economic zone, Shenzhen's government said late Thursday.

Those areas have "achieved dynamic zero-Covid in the community", it added.

China reported 4,365 new infections nationwide Friday, according to National Health Commission data, as the country battles an Omicron surge, its worst coronavirus outbreak since early 2020.

Millions remain under lockdown across the country, many under hyper-local restrictions aimed at smothering clusters without shutting entire cities.

Officials also encouraged the use of rapid antigen tests, made available to the public for the first time last week, urging citizens to take more responsibility for their own health.

However, frequent virus shutdowns affecting major port and industrial cities have dampened the country's economic growth, leading to Beijing announcing earlier this month the weakest GDP target in decades