China's chip exports increase with artificial intelligence-driven demand

According to data from the General Administration of Customs of China, China exported 32.7 billion integrated circuit units (ICU) in September, while the monetary value of exports reached 45 billion dollars.

While Chinese manufacturers exported only 1 percent more products on an annual basis during this period, the monetary value of exports increased by 136 percent.

While the country exported 275.2 billion ICU in the 9 months of this year, the monetary value of exports increased by 108 percent compared to the same period last year and reached 302 billion dollars.

During this period, the increase in chip exports surpassed the general export increase of 16.4 percent annually.

Global demand for computer and electrical equipment is increasing

Vang Cün, Deputy Director of the General Administration of Customs, stated that the rapid development in artificial intelligence technology has increased global investment in computer infrastructure, which in turn has increased the demand for terminal equipment and intermediate products.

Pointing out that large-scale computer systems and data centers built for artificial intelligence systems also increased the demand for electrical equipment, Vang evaluated that this increased the demand for China's electricity production, transmission and energy storage equipment.

Pointing out that hardware exports increased more than chips, Vang stated that in the 9 months of 2026, exports of computer parts increased by 210 percent, exports of memory components such as solid disks increased by 130 percent, and exports of data processing equipment such as servers increased by 7.2 percent.

The Chinese official stated that Chinese-made artificial intelligence glasses and robots are becoming increasingly integrated into international markets and are being used in different application scenarios.

Meanwhile, chip imports also rose with demand driven by heavy investment in artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure within China. In the 9-month period, ICU imports increased by 56.6 percent and memory chip imports increased by 150 percent.