China just posted its strongest export numbers in five years, and artificial intelligence is doing most of the heavy lifting. The country’s General Administration of Customs reported a 27% year-over-year jump in June 2026, blowing past economist forecasts of 18% growth and accelerating from May’s already impressive 19.4% gain.
It’s the fastest pace of export growth since 2021.
The numbers behind the boom
June’s 27% surge wasn’t a one-off spike. Cumulative exports for the first half of 2026 climbed 17.6% year-over-year, painting a picture of sustained momentum rather than a single lucky month.
The import side was even more dramatic. Imports jumped 36% year-over-year in June, a five-year high that built on May’s 27.4% increase. For the January-to-June period, imports rose 26.6%.
