Trade-in programs and AI integration became the main drivers of industrial growth in the first quarter of 2026.

The market has seen the launch of smart glasses with object recognition and translation, companion robots with emotional intelligence, and 3D printers capable of multi-material printing. Here is how CCTV+ reports it.

Production of smart consumer devices in China became one of the pillars of the country's industrial economy in the first quarter of 2026. The main drivers were the more intensive and large-scale implementation of consumer goods trade-in programs, as well as the deep integration of artificial intelligence technologies into consumer products.

From January to March, smartphone production in China reached 298 million units, up 6.9% year on year. Service robot production reached 4.4 million units, increasing 2.6% year on year. Sales of smart devices boosted the production of electronic components: 127.2 billion integrated circuits were produced in the first three months, up 24.3% from a year earlier.

Major Chinese enterprises (with annual revenue of 20 million yuan or more, approximately $2.9 million USD) producing computers, communication equipment, and other electronic devices saw the total value of their export deliveries rise 4.2% year on year. Exports of liquid crystal televisions reached 25.61 million units (up 9%), while integrated circuit exports reached 85 billion units (up 13.4%).