China's goods trade reached RMB 25.47 trillion in the first half of 2026, up 16.9% year-on-year, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on July 15. Exports totaled RMB 14.73 trillion, an increase of 13.4%, while services trade grew 6% in the first five months, with knowledge-intensive services exports up 12.2%.
Beyond overall growth, the trade structure is shifting. The market has dubbed robots, artificial intelligence, and innovative drugs the 'New New Trio,' reflecting their role as new drivers of export growth.
Robot exports showed strong momentum. Industrial robot exports grew 18.6% year-on-year, and surgical robot exports surged 3.3-fold. More than 10,000 intelligent bionic robots were exported to over 90 countries and regions.
AI-related products also boosted exports. Electronic components and computer parts exports achieved double-digit growth, contributing 6.9 percentage points to overall export growth. AI glasses, AI translators, and mechanical exoskeletons are among the smart devices reaching overseas markets. Data from OpenRouter, the world's largest AI model API aggregator, showed that during the week of June 15-21, global AI model usage reached 46.7 trillion tokens, with Chinese models accounting for 18.81 trillion tokens, ranking first for eight consecutive weeks.
Innovative drug out-licensing hit new records. In H1 2026, the total value of Chinese innovative drug out-licensing deals reached approximately USD 110 billion, roughly 80% of the full-year total for 2025. Chinese companies took eight of the top ten spots by deal value globally. Companies such as BeiGene and Hengrui Medicine signed major deals with multinational pharmaceutical firms, advancing their independently developed anti-cancer and targeted therapies into global clinical pipelines.
The evolution from the 'Old Trio' of garments, furniture, and home appliances, to the 'New Trio' of electric vehicles, lithium batteries, and solar cells, and now to the 'New New Trio' marks a steady rise in the added value of Chinese exports.
In terms of market diversification, trade with Belt and Road partner countries grew 14.8%, with Latin America and Africa up 16.2% and 19.6%, respectively. Private enterprises saw exports rise 17%, accounting for 57% of total foreign trade.