CCCME: steady growth expected for China's exports in 2026

China's exports of mechanical and electrical products are expected to maintain steady growth in 2026, driven by stable export expectations to the US, the release of demand in emerging markets, and the resilience of industrial supply, according to China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME).

This outlook follows the release of 2025 import and export data for mechanical and electrical products in China.

Amid the profound shifts in the global economic and trade landscape, China's total value of mechanical and electrical product imports and exports last year reached $33.37 billion, marking a 7.3% year-on-year growth and accounting for 52.5% of the country's overall trade volume, according to the latest figures from the CCCME.

Highlighting the sector's vital role in stabilizing and driving foreign trade, the chamber said that mechanical and electrical products have become a key driver of the steady growth in both the volume and quality of China's foreign trade.

Notably, exports from emerging industries and high-value sectors, such as automobiles, integrated circuits, and ships, have risen, adding 3.7 percentage points to the growth in mechanical and electrical product exports, the chamber said.

Looking ahead to 2026, with rising demand from emerging industries and growing competitiveness, exports in sectors like new energy vehicles, robotics, drones, and AI-related fields such as power, telecommunications, and memory chips are expected to see significant growth, according to the CCCME.

However, China has experienced a year-on-year decline in imports of consumer goods and intermediate products, such as complete vehicles and auto parts, due to the shift to electric vehicles among other factors, with the CCCME calling for targeted policy support to boost import growth.