Chinese authorities are tightening restrictions to foreign websites in renewed efforts to control the flow of information ahead of its set-piece annual parliamentary sessions.

Access to content normally blocked by censors – dubbed the “Great Firewall” – including Google, Facebook, Twitter, and foreign news websites has been all but shut out for days ahead of the National People's Congress.

Analysts suggest China is keen to control the narrative from the rubber stamp parliament more than ever as President Xi Jinping faces one of his toughest years in office due to a slowing economy, a damaging trade war with the US and growing discontent about investment abroad.

Observers have noted that the recent censorship outages have lasted longer than usual.

Mr Xi is due to open parliament as the world’s second-largest economy is seeing its worst economic growth in nearly three decades.