China's invoice data shows a surge in sales in AI-related sectors

Beijing — Chinese companies posted substantial revenue growth in the first four months of 2026, with AI sector players recording particularly strong expansion. During this period, according to invoices released by the State Taxation Administration of China on Tuesday, revenue from the manufacture of electronic specialty materials and integrated circuits (chips), which are directly linked to AI production and applications, rose by 70 percent and 54.4 percent year-on-year, respectively. Meanwhile, revenue from smart equipment in vehicles and robotics connected to AI terminal applications grew by 50.7 percent and 27.5 percent year-on-year, respectively. Revenue from high-tech manufacturing, broadly, increased 14.9 percent year-on-year and accounted for 18.1 percent of total revenue of the manufacturing sector. Against China’s efforts to boost domestic consumption, the services consumption market remained dynamic in the first four months of the year, with revenue from travel agencies and the culture, sports and entertainment industries recording double-digit growth. Revenue from catering and delivery services, as well as accommodation services, rose by 7.7 percent and 14.1 percent respectively. Huang Lixin, an official at the State Taxation Administration of China, said the invoice data show that China’s economic recovery has been strengthening steadily since the start of 2026, with improving growth momentum and high-quality development underscoring resilience and dynamism in the economy.