AI-related trade sees strong growth in H1 of 2026 as China’s exports extend growth streak

Chinese start-up #Unitree Robotics opened its Asia’s first embodied intelligence experience store in Jing’an district in downtown Shanghai on Sunday. Spanning over 100 sqms, the store features and sells a range of end-user products, including the G1/R1 humanoid robot and Go2 robotic dog.

China’s artificial intelligence (AI)-related products have seen strong momentum in imports and exports amid the rapid development of the technology, as the country’s foreign trade hit a record high in the first half of 2026, an official of the General Administration of Customs (GAC) said on Tuesday.

Imports and exports of computing hardware, including electronic components and computer parts, reached 5.13 trillion yuan ($723 billion) in the first half of 2026, up 56.6 percent year-on-year, Wang Jun, deputy head of the GAC, told a State Council Information Office press conference.

Smart products including AI glasses, translators and robotic exoskeletons are also undergoing rapid upgrades, with innovative products continuing to emerge, the official added.

In addition, exports of AI-powered intelligent bionic robots have surpassed 10,000 units, reaching more than 90 countries and regions worldwide, according to Wang.

A United Nations report showed that global trade growth this year has been concentrated largely in AI-related sectors, highlighting strong demand for AI infrastructure and related products. Wang said that continued global demand growth for computing infrastructure, data centers and end-user devices has boosted exports of China’s related products.

In the first half of the year, exports of electronic components, computer parts and other computing-related products all recorded double-digit growth, together contributing 6.9 percentage points to overall export growth, official data showed.

China’s exports have maintained growth for 11 consecutive quarters so far, with the expansion largely driven by the ability of Chinese manufacturing to accurately match diverse global demand, the GAC official noted. Analysts said the performance also reflected the resilience of China’s manufacturing sector and its ability to respond to changing demand in global markets.

The growth of AI-related trade has also been reflected in China’s rapidly developing robotics industry, with exports continuing to expand. China’s industrial robots have undergone rapid upgrades, with improving competitiveness supporting the intelligent transformation of global manufacturing.

In 2025, China’s industrial robot exports exceeded imports for the first time, making the country a net exporter of industrial robots. In the first half of 2026, exports of industrial robots reached 6.29 billion yuan, up 18.6 percent year-on-year, with products shipped to 141 countries and regions.

Meanwhile, Chinese surgical robots have gained wider recognition in international markets, with domestically produced intelligent medical equipment benefiting more patients worldwide. In the first half of the year, exports of surgical robots reached 480 million yuan, up 3.3 times year-on-year, while export markets expanded to 49 countries from 23 during the same period last year.

Cleaning robots have already entered millions of households, while intelligent bionic robots, including humanoid robots, robot dogs, and bionic fish and birds, are accelerating their expansion into overseas markets. Exports of the two categories of products totaled 18.09 billion yuan in the first half of the year.

The GAC said it will continue to closely monitor the development needs of the robotics industry, optimize regulatory services, improve trade facilitation, and help steadily increase the “intelligence content” of China’s foreign trade, injecting Chinese momentum into the global intelligent economy.

China’s foreign trade totaled 25.47 trillion yuan in the first half of 2026, up 16.9 percent year-on-year, reaching a record high. China has firmly maintained its position as the world’s largest goods trading nation, according to the GAC on Tuesday.

Global Times