China's digital industry revenue tops 20 trillion yuan in H1

China's digital industry generated 20.71 trillion yuan (about $2.86 trillion) in revenue in the first half of the year, up 13.6% year on year, according to data released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) on August 25.

The growth rate rose by 4.1 percentage points from a year earlier and 0.7 percentage points from the first quarter.

The 2026 Digital Economy Industry Expo was held at the China National Convention Center in Beijing on July 2, 2026. (ECNS)

Driven by domestic demand for artificial intelligence and strong exports, sector profitability improved, with total profits reaching 1.79 trillion yuan, up 19.3%. The profit margin climbed to 8.6%.

Digital industries remain concentrated in eastern provinces. Guangdong, Jiangsu, Beijing, Shanghai and Zhejiang were among the top 10 regions, together generating 17.21 trillion yuan, or 83.1% of the national total, and contributing 87% of overall growth.

Central China reported digital industry revenue of 2.86 trillion yuan, up 28.3% year on year, accelerating by 18.7 percentage points from a year earlier and outpacing the national average by 14.7 percentage points. Anhui and Hubei provinces led the growth.

MIIT said 16 national‑level advanced manufacturing clusters have been established in sectors including integrated circuits and AI, cultivating backbone enterprises that drive innovation, industrial upgrading and competitiveness. (ECNS)

Editor: Cathy