Growth in China's manufacturing sector slowed faster than expected in April, an official survey showed on Sunday, as producer price rises lost steam and authorities moved to tackle risks in the property market and credit growth.

The official Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell to 51.2 in April from the previous month's 51.8, which was the strongest reading since April 2012.

Analysts polled by Reuters had predicted a reading of 51.6, the ninth straight month above the 50-point mark that separates growth from contraction on a monthly basis.

Growth in China's manufacturing sector slowed faster than expected in April.

Growth in China's services sector slowed slightly to 54.0 in April, compared with the previous month's reading of 55.1, which was the highest since May 2014.

China's economy grew a faster-than-expected 6.9 percent in the first quarter, boosted by higher government infrastructure spending and a gravity-defying property boom.