* SSEC up 0.75%, CSI300 1.07%, HSI 0.43%

* Shanghai to ease COVID-19 curbs from midnight

* Northbound inflows through Stock Connect top 5.8 bln yuan

SHANGHAI, May 31 (Reuters) - Rallying consumer and high-tech firms helped lift Chinese shares on Tuesday, as investors cheered news of Shanghai's imminent reopening and new manufacturing surveys reflected the impact of easing COVID-19 curbs.

** An official Chinese manufacturing survey on Tuesday showed activity contracted more slowly in May as virus curbs were relaxed, but ongoing controls on movement continue to dim the growth outlook.

** The city of Shanghai is set to ease curbs at midnight for residents of low-risk areas, marking an end to a two-month lockdown for most of the city.

** But the economic drag of lockdowns is unlikely to be lifted quickly, with public areas required to cap people flows and residents subject to close monitoring and regular testing.

** "Shanghai's phased-in reopening may only represent a respite rather than a turning point," economists at Nomura said in a note.

** "The real turning point will be marked by a shift in China's stance on its (zero COVID strategy) rather than headline COVID caseloads, the easing of some lockdowns or monthly activity data."

** At the midday break, the Shanghai Composite index was up 0.75% at 3,172.73 points.

** China's blue-chip CSI300 index was up 1.07%, with the consumer staples sector up 2.08% and the info tech sub-index up 2.37%.

** Distillers Kweichow Moutai Co Ltd and Wuliangye Yibin Co were among the biggest drivers of broader gains, rising 1.33% and 3.26%, respectively.

** Moutai and Wuliangye had the highest turnover among A-shares traded through the Stock Connect programme, Hong Kong exchange data showed.

** Refinitiv data showed inflows of more than 5.8 billion yuan ($870.30 million) into A-shares through Stock Connect on Tuesday morning.

** Chinese H-shares listed in Hong Kong rose 0.92% to 7,321.72, while the Hang Seng Index was up 0.43% at 21,215.26.

** The smaller Shenzhen index was up 0.93%, the start-up board ChiNext Composite index was higher by 1.23% and Shanghai's tech-focused STAR50 index was up 1.87%.

** The yuan was quoted at 6.6645 per U.S. dollar, slightly weaker than its previous close of 6.6615.

($1 = 6.6644 Chinese yuan) (Reporting by Andrew Galbraith; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)