China’s September chip exports jump 136% to $45 billion while volume rises just 1%
First seen · Oct 17, 4:04 AM (Seoul) · Last updated · Oct 17, 4:04 AM (Seoul)
China’s integrated circuit exports hit a record of about $44.95 billion in September, up 136% from a year earlier. Volume rose only 1%, with higher memory prices driven by AI demand accounting for most of the increase.
What happened
According to data from China’s General Administration of Customs, integrated circuit exports reached a record of about $44.95 billion in September, up 136% year on year. Export volume, however, rose just 1% to 32.7 billion units.
Why it's trending
Rising prices for memory chips, which are in short supply due to AI infrastructure investment, accounted for most of the increase. China’s total exports grew 36.3% in the same month, meaning chip exports grew about 3.7 times as fast.
Reactions
Some analysts noted that higher export value does not necessarily mean improved technological competitiveness. Imports of memory and integrated circuits also rose sharply over the same period.
What to watch
Cumulative integrated circuit exports for the first three quarters totaled 275.2 billion units, worth about $302 billion. China’s third-quarter GDP, due on Oct. 18, is expected to show 4.4% growth.