China chip exports jump 136% to US$45b as AI frenzy jacks up prices
China’s integrated circuit (IC) exports surged 136 per cent year on year in September to US$45 billion, exceeding the 108 per cent growth rate in the first nine months of the year in a sign of the country’s rising influence in the global semiconductor supply chain. In September, China exported 32.7 billion units of ICs, according to customs data released on Wednesday, a 1 per cent year-on-year…
In September, China's integrated circuit (IC) exports skyrocketed by 136 percent year-on-year, reaching a record high of US$45 billion, a report released by customs data revealed on Wednesday. The volume of IC exports slightly increased by 1 percent compared to the previous year, amounting to 32.7 billion units. The significant rise in value was primarily driven by higher prices, resulting from a memory chip shortage caused by the global surge in artificial intelligence infrastructure development.
For the first three quarters combined, China's IC exports totaled 275.2 billion units, valued at nearly US$302 billion.
The surge in semiconductor exports surpassed the overall export growth from China, which expanded by 36.3 percent year-on-year to US$447.18 billion in the same period. This data underscores China's critical role in the global tech supply chain, despite the country's limited access to cutting-edge manufacturing equipment. Wang Jun, a spokesman and vice-minister of the customs authority, explained to a news briefing on Wednesday that the rapid advancement of AI has spurred global investment in computing power, consequently increasing the demand for terminal equipment and intermediate manufacturing products.
In addition to the semiconductor sector, other hardware products experienced higher shipments during the nine-month period. Computer parts exports grew by 2.1 times year-on-year, memory components like solid-state drives increased by 1.3 times, and data-processing equipment exports, such as servers, rose by 7.2 percent. Wang Jun also highlighted that Chinese-made AI glasses and robots are progressively gaining traction in international markets, enhancing global AI application scenarios, though specific trade figures were not disclosed.
Furthermore, China's semiconductor imports have been growing rapidly due to the nation's substantial investment in digital and AI infrastructure. Memory imports surged by 150 percent year-on-year during the first nine months, while IC imports rose by 56.6 percent.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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