BEIJING - China's power consumption, a key indicator of economic activity, increased mildly in the first quarter of this year, official data showed.

The power use rose 5 percent from a year earlier in the first three months, data from the National Development and Reform Commission showed.

Residential power use jumped 11.8 percent year-on-year while power used by the primary, secondary and tertiary industries increased 12.6 percent, 3 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively.

China's economy grew 4.8 percent year-on-year in the first quarter despite challenges such as COVID-19 resurgences and a complicated external environment.