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China's semiconductor exports almost doubled in the first half of 2026, with overseas shipments reaching 179.4 billion integrated circuits worth $177.3 billion, as the global artificial intelligence boom drove demand for Chinese chips and computing hardware.
The strong performance helped lift China's high-tech product exports 39% year over year to 3.3 trillion yuan, according to data released Tuesday by Beijing's General Administration of Customs.
Exports of automatic data processing machines and parts, including computers, servers, memory products, and other computing components, jumped 41.3% to $138.1 billion during the January-June period.
"The export growth was fundamentally driven by precisely matching 'Made in China' [products] with diverse global demand," Vice Minister of Customs Wang Jun told a news briefing.
Industrial robot exports to 141 countries and regions rose 18.6% to 6.3 billion yuan ($927.7 million), while Wang noted that China became a net exporter of industrial robots for the first time last year. Exports of surgical robots and robotic cleaners also recorded significant gains.
Surgical robot exports reached 480 million yuan, up 3.3 times from a year earlier, with export markets expanding from 23 countries to 49 countries.
China's exports rose 13.4% year over year to 14.7 trillion yuan, extending growth for an 11th consecutive quarter, with mechanical and electrical products remaining the country's largest export category. Shipments in the sector climbed 20.1% to 9.4 trillion yuan, accounting for 63.5% of total exports.
Customs officials said China's stable supplies helped businesses and consumers maintain operations during disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, supporting additional overseas demand for Chinese goods.
Imports increased 22.1% to 10.7 trillion yuan, pushing China's total foreign trade to a record 25.5 trillion yuan, the highest ever for the first six months of a year.
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