September Surge: China's Exports Jump on Chip Demand

China's exports rose 36.3 percent year on year to US$447.2 billion in September, accelerating from earlier months as demand for high-tech and manufactured goods strengthened, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs.

Imports climbed by 31 percent, the fastest increase since June, the data showed, picking up from 28.2 percent in August. Both exports and imports exceeded estimates from a Reuters poll, of 25.5 percent and 24.5 percent, respectively.

Exports of integrated circuits surged 136 percent from a year earlier and 10.4 percent from August. Mobile phone exports jumped 93 percent month on month and rose 14.2 percent year on year, while automobiles and data-processing equipment also recorded strong growth.

But the main chip and electronics export growth comes from the surging price of memory chips, industry insiders said.

For the first nine months of 2026, China's exports totaled US$3.37 trillion, up 21.3 percent annually.