China’s exports of integrated circuits nearly doubled in the first half of the year as rising global demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure accelerated shipments of semiconductors and computing hardware, according to customs data released on Tuesday. The figures underscore the growing role of advanced technology exports in supporting China’s trade performance amid an increasingly challenging international trading environment.
Data released by the General Administration of Customs showed that China exported 179.44 billion integrated circuits during the first six months of the year, with total shipments valued at US$177.28 billion. The value of those exports increased by more than 96% compared with the same period a year earlier, making integrated circuits one of the strongest-performing export categories during the period.
The customs administration said the surge in semiconductor exports was a major contributor to China’s double-digit export growth in the first half of the year. Strong overseas demand for industrial robots and other high-technology products also supported overall export performance, reflecting China’s increasing reliance on technology-driven manufacturing and exports as global trade conditions remain uncertain.
Speaking at a news briefing on Tuesday, Vice-Minister of Customs Wang Jun said China’s export growth was driven by the country’s ability to align domestically manufactured products with changing international demand. According to Wang, the expansion reflected the successful matching of “Made in China” products with diverse global markets.
The increase in semiconductor exports comes as Beijing continues to promote the adoption of domestically designed chips as part of its broader strategy to strengthen China’s semiconductor self-reliance. At the same time, authorities recently approved sales of Nvidia’s H200 graphics processing units to a limited number of Chinese technology companies, providing access to hardware widely used for training artificial intelligence models.
Artificial intelligence has become a significant driver of China’s technology exports, with computing equipment recording substantial growth during the first half of the year. Customs data showed exports of automatic data processing machines and related components, including computers, servers, memory products and other computing hardware, rose 41.3% year on year to reach US$138.08 billion.
Chinese manufacturers also expanded overseas shipments of consumer products incorporating artificial intelligence technologies. According to the customs administration, AI-powered smart glasses, AI translation devices and robotic exoskeletons ranked among the fastest-growing categories of exported consumer technology products during the reporting period.
The country’s robotics industry also recorded continued export growth. Wang said exports of industrial robots to 141 countries and regions increased 18.6% during the first half of the year, reaching 6.29 billion yuan, equivalent to approximately US$927.7 million. He noted that China became a net exporter of industrial robots for the first time last year, marking a shift in the country’s position within the global robotics market.
In addition to industrial automation equipment, exports of surgical robots and robotic cleaning devices also recorded significant growth, according to Wang. The customs data indicate that demand for advanced manufacturing equipment and AI-enabled technologies continues to support China’s expanding presence in international technology markets as the global adoption of artificial intelligence accelerates.
