China’s industrial sector maintained steady growth in the first half of 2026, with value-added industrial output expanding 5.4% year-on-year, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Wednesday.
The latest figures indicate that the country’s manufacturing and industrial sectors continued to support economic activity during the January to June period, despite broader signs of moderating growth in the world’s second-largest economy.
Industrial output, which measures the activity of large enterprises with annual main business revenue of at least 20 million yuan, is regarded as a key indicator of China’s manufacturing performance and broader economic health.
The industrial production data was released alongside China’s first-half gross domestic product (GDP) figures, which showed the economy expanded 4.7% year-on-year, while second-quarter growth slowed to 4.3%.
