China’s May Exports Surge 19% on AI-Chip Demand and Electric-Vehicle Boom

China’s exports surged an unexpected 19.4% in May, fueled by soaring semiconductor prices amid the global artificial intelligence boom and robust electric vehicle shipments.

Shipments of mechanical and electrical products jumped 27.5% from a year earlier to a record $241 billion, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the country’s total overseas sales.

While the headline figures suggest a robust recovery, the rally masks underlying fragilities, as growth is heavily reliant on surging tech hardware prices and front-loaded orders rather than a broad revival in global consumer demand.