China’s tech firms turn the global AI boom into opportunity amid fierce rivalry at home

China’s AI model developers, optical-module makers and warehouse-robot suppliers are taking different routes to reach global markets Driven by a global surge in AI spending and fierce competition at home, Chinese tech companies are rapidly expanding their international footprint, not just via physical supply chains, but increasingly through cloud-based software and foundation models. The broader push aligns with recent customs data from the first half of 2026 showing a sharp rise in physical tech exports. Integrated-circuit exports nearly doubled in value to US$177.3 billion, a 96 per cent year-on-year surge heavily inflated by global chip price hikes. Meanwhile, exports of automatic data-processing equipment jumped over 41 per cent to US$138.1 billion, and industrial-robot shipments climbed over 18 per cent to US$929 million across 141 countries and regions. However, corporate disclosures reveal a far broader dynamic beyond physical goods: mainland Chinese firms are carving out key positions across both the software and hardware layers of the global AI boom.

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