China’s economy grows faster than forecast after AI boom boosts exports | Chinese economy | The Guardian  (china-economy-grows-faster-than-forecast-after-ai-boom-boosted-exports.html)   (../../../../../assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/manifest.json)  (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon.svg) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon-512.png) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon-360.png) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon-240.png) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon-120.png) (../../../../../static.guim.co.uk/images/favicon-32x32.ico) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/) (https://i.guim.co.uk) (https://j.ophan.co.uk) (https://ophan.theguardian.com) (https://sourcepoint.theguardian.com) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/) (https://i.guim.co.uk) (https://j.ophan.co.uk) (https://ophan.theguardian.com) (https://api.nextgen.guardianapps.co.uk) (https://hits-secure.theguardian.com) (https://interactive.guim.co.uk) (https://static.theguardian.com) (https://support.theguardian.com) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/fonts/guardian-headline/noalts-not-hinted/GHGuardianHeadline-Bold.woff2) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/fonts/guardian-textegyptian/noalts-not-hinted/GuardianTextEgyptian-Regular.woff2)                                 (../../../../../assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/css/print.css)  (china-economy-grows-faster-than-forecast-after-ai-boom-boosted-exports.html#maincontent) Skip to main content (china-economy-grows-faster-than-forecast-after-ai-boom-boosted-exports.html#navigation) Skip to navigation (Close [ESC or Q])   Close dialogue  1 / 1   (Next image [→])   Next image  (Previous image [←])   Previous image  (Toggle caption [i])   Toggle caption                         (https://support.theguardian.com/subscribe/weekly?REFPVID=undefined&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22%22%7D) Print subscriptions   (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters) Newsletters   (https://profile.theguardian.com/signin?INTCMP=DOTCOM_NEWHEADER_SIGNIN&ABCMP=ab-sign-in&componentEventParams=componentType%3Didentityauthentication%26componentId%3Dguardian_signin_header)   Sign in        US  (https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/us) US edition  (https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/uk) UK edition  (https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/au) Australia edition  (https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/eur) Europe edition  (https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/int) International edition      (https://www.theguardian.com/) The Guardian - Back to home             The Guardian    (https://www.theguardian.com/) News  (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) Opinion  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport) Sport  (https://www.theguardian.com/culture) Culture  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) Lifestyle    Show more    Hide expanded menu       News (https://www.theguardian.com/) View all News  (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news) US news  (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-politics) US politics  (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-midterm-elections-2026) Midterms 2026  (https://www.theguardian.com/world) World news  (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-crisis) Climate crisis  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast) Middle East  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/ukraine) Ukraine  (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/usimmigration) US immigration  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/soccer) Soccer  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/business) Business  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/environment) Environment  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/technology) Tech  (https://www.theguardian.com/science) Science  (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters) Newsletters  (https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter-us) The Filter  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/wellness) Wellness      Opinion (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) View all Opinion  (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/editorial) The Guardian view  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/columnists) Columnists  (https://www.theguardian.com/tone/letters) Letters  (https://www.theguardian.com/type/video+tone/comment) Opinion videos  (https://www.theguardian.com/tone/cartoons) Cartoons      Sport (https://www.theguardian.com/sport) View all Sport  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/soccer) Soccer  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/nfl) NFL  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/tennis) Tennis  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/mlb) MLB  (https://www.theguardian.com/football/mls) MLS  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/nba) NBA  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/wnba) WNBA  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/nhl) NHL  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/formulaone) F1  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/golf) Golf      Culture (https://www.theguardian.com/culture) View all Culture  (https://www.theguardian.com/film) Film  (https://www.theguardian.com/books) Books  (https://www.theguardian.com/music) Music  (https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign) Art & design  (https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio) TV & radio  (https://www.theguardian.com/stage) Stage  (https://www.theguardian.com/music/classicalmusicandopera) Classical  (https://www.theguardian.com/games) Games  (https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/series/design-a-better-world) Design a better world      Lifestyle (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) View all Lifestyle  (https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter-us) The Filter  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/wellness) Wellness  (https://www.theguardian.com/fashion) Fashion  (https://www.theguardian.com/food) Food  (https://www.theguardian.com/tone/recipes) Recipes  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/love-and-sex) Love & sex  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/home-and-garden) Home & garden  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/health-and-wellbeing) Health & fitness  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/family) Family  (https://www.theguardian.com/travel) Travel  (https://www.theguardian.com/money) Money    Search input  (Search the Guardian)  google-search   Search       (www.theguardian.com)      (https://support.theguardian.com?acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22:%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22,%22componentType%22:%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22,%22componentId%22:%22side_menu_support%22%7D&INTCMP=side_menu_support) Support us  (https://support.theguardian.com/subscribe/weekly?REFPVID=undefined&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22%22%7D) Print subscriptions  (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters) Newsletters  (https://app.adjust.com/1hskf6nd?adgroup=USHeader) Download the app   (https://jobs.theguardian.com) Search jobs  (https://theguardian.newspapers.com) Digital Archive  (https://licensing.theguardian.com/) Guardian Licensing  (https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-live-events?INTCMP=live_us_header_dropdown) Live events  (https://www.theguardian.com/about) About Us  (https://app.adjust.com/16xt6hai) The Guardian app  (https://www.theguardian.com/video) Video  (https://www.theguardian.com/podcasts) Podcasts  (https://www.theguardian.com/inpictures) Pictures  (https://www.theguardian.com/insidetheguardian) Inside the Guardian  (https://www.theguardian.com/weekly?INTCMP=gdnwb_mawns_editorial_gweekly_GW_TopNav_US) Guardian Weekly  (https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords) Crosswords  (https://www.wordiply.com) Wordiply  (https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/series/corrections-and-clarifications) Corrections  (https://www.theguardian.com/tips) Tips    Search input  (Search the Guardian)  google-search   Search       (www.theguardian.com)   (https://jobs.theguardian.com) Search jobs  (https://theguardian.newspapers.com) Digital Archive  (https://licensing.theguardian.com/) Guardian Licensing  (https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-live-events?INTCMP=live_us_header_dropdown) Live events  (https://www.theguardian.com/about) About Us         (https://www.theguardian.com/us/business) Business  (https://www.theguardian.com/business/economics) Economics   (https://www.theguardian.com/business/diversity-and-equality) Diversity & equality in business  (https://www.theguardian.com/business/us-small-business) Small business  (https://www.theguardian.com/business/retail) Retail                      (A humanoid robot positioned by a conveyor belt that is littered with parcels.)          China’s economy has grown by 4.6% in the first nine months of the year. Photograph: Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images     (china-economy-grows-faster-than-forecast-after-ai-boom-boosted-exports.html#img-1)   View image in fullscreen       China’s economy has grown by 4.6% in the first nine months of the year. Photograph: Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images       (https://www.theguardian.com/business/chinese-economy) Chinese economy     China’s economy grows faster than forecast after AI boom boosts exports   Third-quarter GDP up by 4.5% compared with last year as industrial output is buoyed by electronics demand (https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2026/oct/19/exports-lift-china-economic-growth-french-protests-pressure-euro-bonds-latest-business-live-updates) Business live – latest updates            (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/juliakollewe) Julia Kollewe   Mon 19 Oct 2026 05.27 EDT  Last modified on Mon 19 Oct 2026 08.21 EDT   (mailto:?subject=China’s economy grows faster than forecast after AI boom boosts exports&body=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/19/china-economy-grows-faster-than-forecast-after-ai-boom-boosted-exports?CMP=share_btn_url) Share          (https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=theguardian.com) Prefer the Guardian on Google          Roaring exports lifted China’s economic growth in the third quarter of this year, with factory output growing much faster than consumer spending. China’s GDP grew by 4.5% year-on-year between July and September, the National Bureau of Statistics of China reported on Monday. The figures were better than economists had expected and up from the second quarter’s growth rate of 4.3%.  China’s economy has now grown by 4.6% in the first nine months of the year, putting it on track to hit the government’s 2026 target of 4.5%-5% growth without extra stimulus measures. Industrial production rose 5.5% in September, up from 5.2% in August, while retail sales only increased 1.1%, up from 0.4%. Duncan Wrigley, the chief China economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said Beijing’s policymakers were likely to conclude that their efforts to stabilise headline growth in the third quarter were successful. “Headline industrial production rose in September partly as coalmines resumed operations after safety inspections prompted by a major accident. Manufacturing output growth remained robust at 6.0% year on year in September, buoyed up by stronger export demand for electronics, AI-related equipment and autos,” Wrigley said. “Hi-tech manufacturing output continues to outperform traditional sectors, as China climbs the value-added ladder,” Wrigley added. However, fixed-asset investment fell 7.2% over the first nine months, property investment tumbled by 20.6%, and infrastructure spending remained weak. Data last week showed that China’s exports surged by more than a third in September, lifted by a rise in shipments of electronics related to AI. “This pickup in GDP growth mainly reflects ongoing export strength on the global AI/tech boom, more than offsetting drags from the Iran conflict and ongoing weakness in domestic demand,” said analysts at ABN Amro.         Explore more on these topics (https://www.theguardian.com/business/chinese-economy) Chinese economy  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/china) China  (https://www.theguardian.com/business/economics) Economics  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/asia-pacific) Asia Pacific  (https://www.theguardian.com/tone/news) news    (mailto:?subject=China’s economy grows faster than forecast after AI boom boosts exports&body=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/19/china-economy-grows-faster-than-forecast-after-ai-boom-boosted-exports?CMP=share_btn_url) Share     (https://syndication.theguardian.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2026%2Foct%2F19%2Fchina-economy-grows-faster-than-forecast-after-ai-boom-boosted-exports&type=article&internalpagecode=world/2026/oct/19/china-economy-grows-faster-than-forecast-after-ai-boom-boosted-exports) (Reuse this content) Reuse this content                  More on this story                       More on this story                      (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/06/china-prepares-40bn-stimulus-for-financial-sector-amid-fears-over-sluggish-growth)    ()      China prepares £40bn stimulus for financial sector amid fears over sluggish growth   (Sunday, September 6, 2026 at 11:16 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 6 Sept 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/aug/20/evergrande-founder-jailed-life-fraud-hui-ka-yan)    ()      Founder of China’s Evergrande jailed for life after pleading guilty to fraud   (Thursday, August 20, 2026 at 08:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 20 Aug 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/aug/17/china-economy-slowdown-signs-extending)    ()      China’s economy showing signs that slowdown may be extending   (Monday, August 17, 2026 at 11:36 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 17 Aug 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jul/20/aliexpress-fined-by-eu-sale-of-illegal-fake-goods)    ()      AliExpress fined record €550m by EU for failing to stop sale of illegal and fake goods   (Monday, July 20, 2026 at 10:57 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 20 Jul 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jul/15/china-economy-low-quarterly-growth-economic-concerns)    ()      China’s economy grows at 4.3%, one of its lowest rates on record   (Wednesday, July 15, 2026 at 06:48 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 15 Jul 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jul/14/china-car-exports-june-trade-us-eu-trump-tariffs)    ()      China’s monthly car ‌exports top 1m for first time as overall trade soars   (Tuesday, July 14, 2026 at 06:32 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 14 Jul 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jul/13/china-graduate-glut-young-people-job-market-tech-ai)    ()      China’s graduate glut: millions enter a job market with little use for them   (Monday, July 13, 2026 at 06:27 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 13 Jul 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/28/eu-discuss-restrictions-chinese-imports-fears-overreliance)    ()      EU to discuss potential restrictions on Chinese imports amid fears of overreliance   (Thursday, May 28, 2026 at 12:29 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 28 May 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/27/china-blocks-meta-takeover-manus-ai-agent-developer)    ()      China blocks $2bn Meta takeover of AI agent developer Manus   (Monday, April 27, 2026 at 10:35 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 27 Apr 2026                        Most viewed      Most viewed                                                               (https://www.theguardian.com/us/business) Business  (https://www.theguardian.com/business/economics) Economics   (https://www.theguardian.com/business/diversity-and-equality) Diversity & equality in business  (https://www.theguardian.com/business/us-small-business) Small business  (https://www.theguardian.com/business/retail) Retail       (https://www.theguardian.com/) News  (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) Opinion  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport) Sport  (https://www.theguardian.com/culture) Culture  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) Lifestyle    Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning (https://www.theguardian.com/info/2018/sep/17/guardian-us-morning-briefing-sign-up-to-stay-informed) Sign up for our email     (https://www.theguardian.com/info/about-guardian-us) About us  (https://manage.theguardian.com/help-centre) Help  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/complaints-and-corrections) Complaints & corrections  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/about-guardian-us/contact) Contact us  (https://www.theguardian.com/tips) Tip us off  (https://www.theguardian.com/securedrop) SecureDrop  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/privacy) Privacy policy  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/cookies) Cookie policy  (https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2026/07/22/STL_Global_Tax_Strategy_for_the_year_to_31_March_2027.pdf) Tax strategy  (https://www.theguardian.com/help/terms-of-service) Terms & conditions   (https://www.theguardian.com/index/subjects/a) All topics  (https://www.theguardian.com/index/contributors) All writers  (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?INTCMP=DOTCOM_FOOTER_NEWSLETTER_US) Newsletters  (https://theguardian.newspapers.com) Digital newspaper archive  (https://bsky.app/profile/us.theguardian.com) Bluesky  (https://www.facebook.com/theguardian) Facebook  (https://www.instagram.com/guardian) Instagram  (https://www.linkedin.com/company/theguardian) LinkedIn  (https://www.threads.com/@guardian_us) Threads  (https://www.tiktok.com/@guardian) TikTok  (https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGuardian) YouTube   (https://usadvertising.theguardian.com) Advertise with us  (https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-labs-us) Guardian Labs  (https://jobs.theguardian.com) Search jobs  (https://workwithus.theguardian.com/) Work with us  (https://www.theguardian.com/help/accessibility-help) Accessibility settings         (china-economy-grows-faster-than-forecast-after-ai-boom-boosted-exports.html#top) Back to top      © 2026Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.(dcr)