In April 2026, China’s exports set a new record, reaching $359 billion for the month. On average, Chinese companies earned about $500 million from foreign shipments every hour. This rapid growth in exports is largely attributed to the demand for high-tech goods in the artificial intelligence industry.
This is reported by Finway
Growth in Exports of Chips and Technological Equipment
According to estimates by economists from Goldman Sachs and Nomura, nearly half of the export growth was driven by products related to artificial intelligence, particularly semiconductors, computers, and data processing equipment. According to Chinese customs, chip exports in April increased by 100% compared to the same period last year, while sales of data processing equipment, including laptops and servers, rose by 47%.
“China’s exports in April reached a record $359 billion.”
At the same time, China has ramped up imports of high-tech products – in April, foreign purchases reached $275 billion, which is 25% more than a year earlier. The volume of imports of high-tech goods specifically increased by 42%.
Impact of Global Investments and Prospects for Technological Independence
Analysts indicate that the strong demand for Chinese technological goods is partly due to massive investments by American tech corporations in the development of artificial intelligence infrastructure. In 2026, companies like Alphabet and Meta plan to invest up to $725 billion in AI infrastructure and data centers. Experts believe these investments could boost the growth of the S&P 500 index.
Despite tensions in relations between China and the US, supply chains in the field of artificial intelligence remain tightly integrated. According to Standard Chartered, China is already the world’s largest exporter of AI-related goods. For the first time, monthly exports of integrated circuits from China exceeded $31 billion.
China is also actively developing its own chip manufacturing, which is a response to US restrictions on access to advanced technologies. According to Morgan Stanley, the country’s self-sufficiency in AI chips has increased from 10% five years ago to approximately 41% in 2025, and it could reach 86% by 2030.
The growth in exports of high-tech products is also positively impacting other sectors of the economy. For instance, exports of cars from China increased by 54% in the first four months of 2026, with the value of shipments in April exceeding $16 billion.
