China's economy grew 5% year over year in 2025, reaching a GDP of approximately $19.5 trillion, according to China’s National Bureau of Statistics. Manufacturing investment contributed to that growth, with secondary industry investment rising 2.5%, even as fixed-asset investment overall declined. Heading into 2026, China's manufacturing PMI for March came in at 50.4, above the 50-point threshold that separates expansion from contraction, with high-tech manufacturing leading at 52.1, followed by equipment manufacturing at 51.1 and consumer goods at 50.8.
On the trade side, China's total goods trade reached $6.35 trillion in 2025, up 3.2% year over year. Exports grew 5.5% to $3.77 trillion, while imports held roughly flat at $2.58 trillion. ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) remained China's largest trading partner, with over $1 trillion in total trade, followed by the European Union at $828 billion. The United States came in third at $559 billion, though bilateral trade between the two countries fell sharply, down 18.7% overall, with Chinese exports to the U.S. declining 20%. By contrast, trade with African partners grew 18.4%, and commerce with countries along the Belt and Road initiative reached $3.3 trillion, up 6.3%.
At the project level, several recently announced investments reflect continued momentum in high-priority sectors:
In robotics and automation, Ying Te Wei Sci & Tech in Weifang, Shandong, is investing in a new facility to manufacture embodied robots, with an annual production target of 3,000 units. In Ningbo, Shu Sheng Sci & Tech is committing capital to a project spanning bio-robots, drones, and lightweight components, with an R&D focus.
In Xuancheng, Anhui, Yiji CNC Machine Tools Co. Ltd. will manufacture CNC machine tools, with an annual capacity of 9,950 units and 2,000 industrial robots.
In the electric vehicle components industry, Zhejiang Wansai Automotive Parts in Jinhua is building a facility for EV braking systems, with a targeted annual output of 10 million units. A separate project by Wuhu Xilin New Momentum Sci & Tech is investing in machining and measuring equipment to produce EV compressors, targeting an annual output of 500,000 units.
In semiconductors, Xinlei Semiconductor Sci & Tech in Suzhou will manufacture optoelectronic components, targeting an annual output of 300,000 kits.
AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology is leading a group of exhibitors to CCMT 2026 (China CNC Machine Tool Fair) in Shanghai from April 21-25. The show, held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, will feature more than 2,000 exhibitors from 27 countries and regions across approximately 2 million square feet of exhibition space.
For more information, please contact Fred Qian at fredqian@AMTchina.org, and to learn how to take advantage of these opportunities, click here.
