China's export of robots achieved a good start in the first quarter

In the first quarter of 2026, the overseas expansion of China's robotics industry accelerated, with a total export value of 11.32 billion yuan for various listed robots, sold to 148 countries and regions worldwide. The export value of newly added tax number category cleaning robots was 7.75 billion yuan, accounting for 68.5% of the total export value of robots and firmly ranking as the main export force. Industrial robots exported 3.16 billion yuan in the first quarter, a year-on-year increase of 42%. The Chinese robotics industry is transforming from a single product output to a comprehensive output of technology, solutions, and services, gradually becoming a new business card for China's foreign trade.Editor/Gong Ziwei

High level operation of cross-border passenger flow of China Laos railway

During the May Day holiday in 2026, the average daily number of inbound and outbound passengers of the China Laos Railway will exceed 1000, and the cumulative number of cross-border international passengers will exceed 810000. The capacity expansion service of Mohan Station will ensure customs clearance.Editor/Gao Xue

Daqing Oilfield's Sichuan Chongqing Exploration Area breaks through the barrier again

On April 27, 2026, the cumulative sales volume of natural gas in the Sichuan Chongqing exploration area of Daqing Oilfield has exceeded 5 billion cubic meters, reaching 5.03 billion cubic meters, and the daily gas production has remained stable at 5.7 million cubic meters, injecting strong momentum into the construction of the Chengdu Chongqing economic circle and national energy supply guarantee. Editor/Cheng Liting

The intelligentization of Shanxi coal mines will be basically achieved by 2027

Shanxi recently issued the "Implementation Plan for Accelerating Energy Green and Low Carbon Transformation and Development", aiming to promote the construction of the energy system and high-quality economic development. The plan proposes to focus on building intelligent green coal mines with a capacity of over 1.2 million tons per year, accelerate resource allocation and transfer, and exit inefficient production capacity. At the same time, it is required that production coal mines that meet the conditions by 2027 achieve basic intelligence, cultivate artificial intelligence application scenarios, continuously improve safety assurance levels, and fully guarantee the stable supply of national electricity coal. Editor/Cheng Liting

Hydrogen ammonia alcohol integration into a new pathway for hydrogen energy

On April 27, 2026, the National Energy Administration stated that green hydrogen ammonia alcohol integration is an important model for the large-scale development of hydrogen energy. As of the end of March, the national renewable energy hydrogen production capacity under construction exceeded 1 million tons per year. At the same time, China has built various green fuel production capacities of about 8 million tons per year of oil equivalent, and will gradually cultivate the green fuel market.Editor/Gao Xue

China's new energy products surged in the first quarter

China's exports of new energy products surged in the first quarter. Customs data shows that the export value of electric vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic modules increased by 77.5%, 50.4%, and 45.2% respectively, and the export value of solar cells surged by 78% in March. Geopolitics has driven up overseas demand, coupled with centralized customs clearance by enterprises, which has boosted short-term data. In the long run, the cancellation of tax refunds will curb low price competition and promote the industry to shift towards high-quality overseas development. China's industrial chain advantage is continuing to consolidate its core position in global clean energy. Editor/Cheng Liting

Quzhou Port opens dual liner service

Recently, Quzhou Port has opened CCA dual transport regular liners to Jiaxing Port and Ningbo Zhoushan Port, achieving two-way linkage of import and export of heavy containers. Two shifts per week, enterprises can complete customs clearance locally, reducing costs by nearly 35000 yuan per trip.Editor/Gao Xue

Khorgos Port Freight Record High

In April 2026, the import and export freight volume of Khorgos Port in the first quarter will be 10.329 million tons, an increase of 4.2% year on year, ranking first in Xinjiang, and the export of new energy vehicles will grow significantly.Editor/Gao Xue

Friendship Pass Port Increases Trade with ASEAN

On April 22, 2026, the import and export volume of Friendship Port to ASEAN in the first quarter was 160.48 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 22.7%. The import of durian reached 55000 tons, a sharp increase of 3.5 times, and the export of automobiles surged by 2.1 times.Editor/Gao Xue

Chinese enterprises make multiple breakthroughs in overseas infrastructure construction

In April 2026, China Railway Joint Venture won the bid for Ho Chi Minh City Subway Line 2, China Construction won the first bid for the UAE high-speed railway, CITIC won the Dubai landmark, and Chinese enterprises won multiple projects in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.Editor/Gao Xue

The throughput of major ports in China increased by 4% in the first quarter

In the first quarter of 2026, the cargo throughput of major ports in China will increase by 4% to 4.39 billion tons, the container volume will increase by 8% to 89.64 million TEUs, and foreign trade will grow by 7.6% as the core engine. Shanghai, Ningbo Zhoushan, and Shenzhen lead the way, while Suzhou Port and its inland waterway have shown impressive growth rates. Qingdao and Tianjin Ports have achieved double-digit growth. The explosion of "new three types" and AI product exports has driven the recovery of routes in the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta. Tangshan mine and Yantai have seen a surge in miscellaneous goods. Looking ahead to the second quarter, geopolitics may put pressure on commodity trade. Editor/Cheng Liting

Cross border highway shuttle bus on the Land Sea New Corridor breaks record

On April 18, 2026, the total number of cross-border road shuttle buses shipped by the Western Land Sea New Corridor in 2025 was 12555, with a value of 17.417 billion yuan, an increase of 91% and 306% respectively year-on-year, both reaching a historical high.Editor/Gao Xue

Kazakhstan's Ministry of Energy Responds to Rumors of 'Friendship' Pipeline Blockade

According to the Ministry of Energy, Kazakhstan has not received any official notification from Russia regarding restrictions on the transit transportation of Kazakh crude oil through the "Atyrau Samara Friendship Pipeline" route. According to unofficial sources, due to the limited technical capabilities of the Russian side, the crude oil transportation work on this route may not be able to be carried out temporarily from May 1st this year. The Ministry of Energy stated that it is expected that the transit transportation of crude oil in Kazakhstan will resume after the relevant technical faults are resolved.Editor/Yang Meiling

Ili Prefecture's foreign trade increased by nearly 30% in the first quarter

In April 2026, the foreign trade volume of Yili Prefecture in the first quarter reached 31.08 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 27.7%. The trend of high-end export of electromechanical and new products is significant, and the import growth rate has more than doubled.Editor/Gao Xue

The total number of 5G base stations in China is nearly 5 million

As of the end of March 2026, there will be 4.958 million 5G base stations, 32.01 million 10G PON ports, and 5G-A coverage in 330 cities nationwide. China has achieved gigabit connectivity in every county, 5G connectivity in every township, and 100% broadband connectivity in administrative villages. The network has a deep coverage of 269000 key locations and over 650000 kilometers of highways and railways. 5G has been integrated into 91 major categories of the national economy and has been implemented in over 500 tertiary hospitals and nearly 3000 universities. Editor/Cheng Liting

The Land Sea New Corridor is moving towards the 2.0 era

In April 2026, the Western Land Sea New Corridor will achieve its basic completion goal, with a network covering 584 ports in 127 countries, and is promoting the integration and upgrading of rules and industries.Editor/Gao Xue

The Zhongke Aerospace Power Arrow 1 successfully launched an eight star rocket

On April 14, 2026, the Zhongke Aerospace Lijian-1 Y12 rocket successfully launched "One Rocket, Eight Stars" from the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Experimental Zone. This mission adopts the "special vehicle" launch mode, compressing the contract to launch cycle to 6 months, marking the official entry of China's commercial aerospace into the era of "flight based" mass production. Relying on a pulsating production line, the rocket assembly cycle has been reduced to 30 days, and the future annual production will reach 30 missiles. Editor/Cheng Liting

Accumulated water resource allocation of 20 billion yuan around the Beibu Gulf

The annual construction conference of the Guangdong Water Resources Allocation Project around the Beibu Gulf was recently held in Gaozhou, Guangdong. It is reported that the cumulative investment in the North Guangdong project has reached 20 billion yuan, accounting for nearly 30% of the total investment. Tens of thousands of construction workers are fighting along the line, and the construction of the project has been comprehensively accelerated.Editor/Cheng Liting

Accelerate major water conservancy projects with investment exceeding 200 billion yuan

The Ministry of Water Resources delivered impressive results in the first quarter: 15 major projects were newly started, with an investment of 207 billion yuan and a record high social capital investment. The spring irrigation water source is sufficient, and 170 million acres have been irrigated. Flood prevention and preparation have been fully launched. The construction of the national water network is accelerating, and the South to North Water Diversion Project has benefited 195 million people. During the 15th Five Year Plan period, we will focus on flood control and disaster reduction, as well as digital twin water networks, to promote the upgrading of water infrastructure towards green and intelligent development. Editor/Cheng Liting

CPI moderately rises in March 2026, PPI shifts from decline to rise

On April 10th, the National Bureau of Statistics released data showing that the CPI in March increased by 1.0% year-on-year, but the growth rate has declined. This is mainly due to the seasonal drop in food and service prices, as well as the decrease in pork, tourism, and other prices. PPI increased by 0.5% year-on-year, marking the first time it has turned upward after 41 months of continuous decline. Driven by the rise in international commodity prices and the improvement of domestic supply and demand, industries such as petroleum and non-ferrous metals saw significant price increases. Editor/Cheng Liting

The China Europe freight train in Changsha doubled its freight volume in the first quarter

In the first quarter of 2026, there will be 321 China Europe freight trains arriving and departing from Changsha, with a year-on-year increase of 103.8%; The freight volume was 218700 tons, an increase of 141.2%. The import and export value of Hunan enterprises is 361 million US dollars, accounting for over 50%. Customs implements appointment clearance to ensure efficient inspection and release.Editor/Gao Xue

China Russia trade grows by 12% in January and February 2026

The bilateral trade volume between China and Russia in January and February 2026 was 39.045 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 12%; Among them, China's exports to Russia amounted to 20.87 billion US dollars, an increase of 22.7%; Imports from Russia amounted to 18.175 billion US dollars, an increase of 1.8%. Editor/Cheng Liting

China Kazakhstan's $125 million large order landed

At the Export to China SCO Choice Forum, Kazakh companies signed a $125 million agricultural export agreement with Chinese partners. Changsha Kaliev, the Minister of Trade of Kazakhstan, led a delegation to visit Shandong to deepen industrial and logistics cooperation. As the largest trading partner, the bilateral trade volume between China and Kazakhstan is expected to increase from 41 billion US dollars in 2023 to 48.7 billion US dollars in 2025, with Shandong's trade volume reaching 2.2 billion US dollars. Both sides are shifting from scale expansion to quality and efficiency improvement, with a focus on promoting the export of high value-added, non resource, and green technology products to ensure supply chain stability.Editor/Cheng Liting

China Electricity Council releases 2025 energy storage operation data

The China Electricity Council has released the "2025 Statistical Data of Electrochemical Energy Storage Power Station Industry". The report shows that in 2025, energy storage power stations experienced 1922 unplanned shutdowns throughout the year, with an average downtime of 34.62 hours per outage. The quality issues of key equipment, systems, and integrated installations in power plants are the main cause of unplanned shutdowns, accounting for over 75% of the total number of shutdowns. Specifically analyzing the reasons for shutdowns, the proportion of shutdowns caused by inverters (PCS) reached 32.21%, a significant increase of about 11 percentage points from 21.42% in 2024, becoming the primary cause; In contrast, the proportion of shutdowns caused by battery issues has decreased from 37.94% in 2024 to 22.89% in 2025.Editor/Yang Meiling

National Energy Administration releases 2026 standard project proposal guidelines

The National Energy Administration has officially issued the "Guidelines for the Establishment of Energy Industry Standard Plans in 2026". This guide aims to provide clear direction for the revision of energy industry standards. In the attached list of key directions for the 2026 Energy Industry Standard Plan, six professional directions have been identified, including power system safety and stability, new energy storage, and hydrogen energy. Among them, in the direction of new energy storage, the focus covers multiple sub fields such as electrochemical energy storage, compressed air energy storage, flywheel energy storage, energy storage equipment, and intelligent operation of new energy storage, providing a clear framework for standard setting work.Editor/Yang Meiling

Huaneng International invests 30.5 billion yuan in wind power in 2026

On March 25, 2026, Huaneng International released its 2025 annual report, which showed that the investment in new energy in 2026 was 37.7 billion yuan, of which wind power was 30.5 billion yuan, accounting for 80.9%, a year-on-year increase of 27.3%. Solar energy investment has dropped to 7.2 billion yuan. The company focuses on the layout of deep-sea offshore wind power and large-scale wind and solar power bases, with an installed capacity of 5880 megawatts of offshore wind power.Editor/Gao Xue

Construction machinery exports surge 33.4% at the beginning of 2026

In the first two months of 2026, the export of construction machinery reached US $10.69 billion, a sharp increase of 33.4%. Latin America and Africa became new engines of growth, and the the Belt and Road contributed significantly. Growth momentum switching: Electric loaders surged 112.7%, with high value-added products leading the way. Enterprises upgrade from selling products to building ecosystems: Zoomlion Hungary factory is established, and Shantui Co., Ltd. is deeply cultivating regional differentiation. More importantly, the industry is shifting from exporting individual products to collaborating with the entire industry chain to go global. By building deep barriers through localized factories and supporting services, China's construction machinery is accelerating towards a new stage of global manufacturing. Editor/Cheng Liting

New breakthroughs in scientific research in China

Recently, a joint research team consisting of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation 811 Institute and Nankai University announced that they have successfully developed a new type of hydrofluorocarbon electrolyte. This technology is expected to significantly improve the energy density and extreme low temperature adaptability of lithium batteries. The team has overcome technical challenges such as the inability of fluorine to dissolve lithium salts and synthesized a new electrolyte solvent containing monofluorinated alkanes.Editor/Yang Meiling

Morocco NOOR Atlas Photovoltaic Project Fully Launched

The Moroccan National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water and the Sustainable Energy Agency have officially signed a power purchase agreement for the NOOR Atlas project and started construction. The total installed capacity of the project is about 305 megawatts, covering six photovoltaic power stations in the east, southeast, and south. It adopts the EPC mode and is constructed by the MoU Enterprise Consortium, with MASEN responsible for operation and maintenance. The project integrates preferential loans from the German Renaissance Credit Bank, the European Investment Bank, and commercial loans from the Moroccan African Bank, and is planned to be connected to the grid starting from July 2027. After being put into operation, it will significantly increase the proportion of renewable energy in Morocco, strongly support the national strategic goal of achieving 52% renewable energy installed capacity by 2030, and drive the regional green economy transformation.Editor/Cheng Liting

Tarim River launches 27th downstream ecological water transfer

On March 22, 2026, the Tarim River, the longest inland river in China, launched the first phase of the 27th ecological water transfer downstream. It is reported that the spring water supply launched this time will last for 15 days, with a discharge of 20 million cubic meters, accurately matching the critical period of spring vegetation germination and providing timely water support for vegetation growth. The second phase of high flow water transportation is expected to start during the flood season in August this year. Editor/Cheng Liting