China’s exports rose 27% year on year in U.S.-dollar terms in June, the fastest pace in four months, as global demand for artificial intelligence-related hardware provided a fresh source of support for the country’s export sector.
Imports increased 36% over the same period, while China’s monthly trade surplus reached USD 125.6 billion, according to customs data released on July 14. For the first half of 2026, China’s total goods trade rose 16.9% year on year to CNY 25.47 trillion, surpassing CNY 25 trillion for the first time in a first-half period.
The clearest sign of the AI cycle appeared in the composition of trade. Imports and exports of computing hardware—including electronic components and computer parts—rose 56.6% year on year to CNY 5.13 trillion in the first six months, according to the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC, 中国海关总署).
Reuters reported that June’s export performance was supported by orders for chips and computing capacity linked to the global AI boom. The Associated Press likewise cited AI demand as a contributing factor, quoting a customs official who said trade in products related to the sector had remained robust.
The figure does not show that all of this trade consisted of finished AI products, nor does it isolate exports from imports. But it does indicate that China is increasingly embedded in the physical supply chain supporting the expansion of global computing infrastructure. Electronic components, computer parts and related equipment are essential inputs for servers, networking systems and data-centre construction.
The shift adds a new layer to China’s export story. In recent years, electric vehicles, batteries and solar products have become prominent symbols of the country’s manufacturing exports. The latest customs data suggest that computing hardware is now becoming another fast-growing pillar, alongside those established sectors.
For Chinese manufacturers, the opportunity extends beyond headline AI chips. The build-out of data centres also requires a broad base of components, from power and thermal-management equipment to networking hardware, circuit boards and other supporting systems. China’s scale in electronics manufacturing and component supply gives domestic producers a role across this wider value chain.
The export momentum also comes as policymakers seek to strengthen domestic demand. Strong overseas sales have helped offset uneven consumption and investment at home, although the durability of the trend will depend on the pace of global data-centre investment, demand for AI infrastructure and the evolution of trade restrictions.
For now, the data point to a more nuanced conclusion: the AI boom is not only creating demand for advanced chips and cloud capacity. It is also lifting trade in the vast ecosystem of computing hardware that makes large-scale AI deployment possible—and China remains a major supplier within that ecosystem.