China's manufacturing activity slowed in May, as the effects of government tightening measures to prevent the economy from overheating kicked in, official and independent surveys showed Tuesday. The HSBC China Manufacturing PMI, or purchasing managers index, fell to 52.7 last month from a revised figure of 55.2 in April, an 11-month low, indicating the recovery of China's manufacturing sector lost some momentum, the bank said. A reading above 50 means the sector is expanding, while below 50 indicates an overall decline. 'The slowdown in the headline manufacturing PMI suggests that the overheating risk is likely to ease as tightening measures filter through,' said HSBC chief China economist Qu Hongbin. 'That said, we see robust economic growth without double-dip risks not least because of massive existing infrastructure investment and resilient private consumption.' A separate survey released by a government agency on Tuesday showed manufacturing activity had dropped to 53.9 in May from 55.7 in April. HSBC's results are based on interviews with purchasing managers at more than 400 companies, while the survey by the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing covers more than 700 firms. The government survey predicted the Chinese economy would continue to grow rapidly, but at a moderately slower pace. 'Changes in the May PMI index is likely one of the omens of the economy stabilising from rapid recovery,' government analyst Zhang Liqun said in a commentary released with the data. Beijing has announced a series of measures to rein in bank lending to calm inflationary pressures and avoid a damaging bubble in the real estate market. China's economy grew by a blistering 11.9 percent in the first quarter of 2010, fuelling fears the booming economy was at risk of overheating. 