Chinese exports and imports soared in July 2026, as the manufacturing powerhouse benefits from a global artificial intelligence boom that is lifting overseas demand for its technology products. Exports climbed 23.9 percent year-on-year last month, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs (GAC), significantly outperforming the 23.0 percent forecast by Bloomberg.
China’s infamous “996” work culture, working 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week, has shifted to an even harsher reality as artificial intelligence tools rapidly replace programmers across the country’s technology sector.
Moonshot AI’s mainland operating entity has officially converted from a limited liability company to a joint-stock limited company, according to corporate registry filings. Founder Yang Zhilin is now recorded as chairman and general manager of the newly structured entity.
Chinese action camera brand Insta360 faces mounting pressure from surging chip costs driven by the global artificial intelligence boom, a challenge the company says is proving more difficult to navigate than United States tariffs as it expands in the American market.
Chinese router maker Zbtlink Electronics announced it is suspending sales of routers found to contain a hidden backdoor and pulling the affected software from its website while it develops updates to address the issue.
The United States government has invoked additional tariffs and a minimum import price system on polysilicon, a key material for semiconductors and solar power, following its move to threaten a new import ban on Chinese optical transceivers for data centers over eavesdropping and hacking concerns.
China’s exports of drones to emerging economies have surged this year, reflecting increased demand for farming, surveying, and other civilian applications in the Global South.
In response to a looming shortage of high-quality Chinese-language training data, Beijing is moving aggressively to treat data as a core strategic asset. The National Data Administration (NDA) has unveiled a sweeping nationwide plan to boost the supply, circulation, and commercialization of high-quality artificial intelligence training data.
Apple has published a guide explaining how eligible Mac users in mainland China can connect Alibaba’s Qwen artificial intelligence service to the United States tech giant’s Siri digital assistant and Writing Tools feature.
China’s high-stakes race to build next-generation artificial intelligence models is entering a critical new phase, where a less visible yet far more existential threat is coming into view: a severe shortage of high-quality training data.
