Global AI boom sees China’s chip exports nearly double in first half of year

China’s chip exports nearly doubled in the first half of the year, customs data shows, as a global AI boom cemented computing hardware’s place as a key economic growth engine. In the first six months of 2026, China exported 179.44 billion integrated circuits (ICs) worth a total of US$177.28 billion – up more than 96 per cent year on year – according to data released by the General Administration of Customs on Tuesday. The surge in IC exports was one of the key drivers behind China’s double-digit