China Exports Near USD 500 Million per Hour

China’s exports accelerated sharply in April 2026, highlighting how AI-related demand, semiconductors, electronics, and EVs are supporting external trade momentum despite persistent global uncertainty.

April exports rose to USD 359.4 billion, up 14.1 percent year-on-year, equivalent to nearly USD 500 million per hour. Imports also rose 25.3 percent, while the trade surplus reached about USD 84.8 billion.

Key insights:

• AI-related demand is becoming a major export engine, with semiconductor exports reportedly jumping 100 percent in April and data processing equipment rising 47 percent.
• China’s integrated circuit exports exceeded USD 31 billion in April, reflecting stronger demand for chips, components, servers, and AI infrastructure.
• Foreign purchases of high-tech Chinese products rose about 42 percent, showing that demand extends beyond one category.
• US Big Tech capital spending is expected to reach around USD 725 billion this year, much of it linked to AI data centers and infrastructure.
• The US share of China’s exports has fallen close to 9 percent, but supply chains remain connected through components, data centers, electronics, and advanced manufacturing.
• Vehicle exports also remain a growth pillar, rising 54 percent in the first four months of 2026, with more than USD 16 billion shipped in April.

The main takeaway is that AI is not only reshaping technology competition. It is reshaping global trade flows. China is strengthening its role in the physical infrastructure of the AI economy, even as US restrictions push both sides toward partial diversification rather than full decoupling.