China’s trade expands on AI boom, offsetting weak sectors

Exports rise 27% in June, while imports jump 36% on higher chip prices Stacked shipping containers at Yangshan Port outside Shanghai on May 7. China's total trade rose 21% year-on-year in the first half of 2026, thanks to AI-related industries. © Reuters TOKYO — China's trade surged in the first six months of 2026, riding global investment in artificial intelligence-related industries to overcome geopolitical uncertainty and offset sluggish domestic household consumption.

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