'New new three' power China's trade

Driven by a systemic leap in independent innovation, China's foreign trade reached a historic high of over 25 trillion yuan ($3.72 trillion) in the first half, propelled by orders for robots, artificial intelligence and innovative drugs — collectively known as the "new new three".

The evolution of China's export portfolio tells a compelling story of continuous industrial upgrading. Decades ago, the "old three" — clothing, furniture and home appliances — dominated shipments, later replaced by the "new three" of new energy vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and solar cells.

Today, the "new new three" are emerging as the latest calling cards of Chinese foreign trade. Chen Yutao, deputy director of the standard committee at the China Enterprise Confederation under the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, said this evolution represents a concentrated demonstration of China's shift from advanced manufacturing to an even more comprehensive innovation ecosystem.

This year, the accelerated development of the AI sector has seen China exporting algorithms, computing power and digital solutions, alongside rapid growth in AI hardware exports. Amid the global AI boom, massive amounts of data are transmitted between data centers, with facilities increasingly reliant on advanced optical communication networks.

In a production facility of Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable Joint Stock in Wuhan's Optics Valley in Hubei province, production lines are operating at full capacity.

"Special optical fibers used for AI intelligent computing centers are currently in short supply due to the explosive growth of data centers," said Wen Xiaojiang, general manager of YOFC's International Company.

Securing these orders is the result of years of technological accumulation. Since China's first practical optical fiber was born in Wuhan in the 1970s, Optics Valley has built an industrial cluster encompassing materials, devices and equipment. Today, more than 800 AI enterprises are rooted in the area, with the optoelectronic information industry's annual output exceeding 660 billion yuan.

Anticipating AI computing scenarios, YOFC has proactively developed a series of AI computing optical fibers, propelling China to the forefront of next-generation optical fiber technology. Zheng Xin, vice-president of YOFC, explained they developed this fiber recognizing its advanced concept, believing it would be widely used. "When the AI wave arrived, this fiber was ready for those who were prepared," Zheng said.

The rise of the "new new three" is heavily supported by China's robust high-end manufacturing and industrial clusters. Backed by a complete industrial ecology, Chinese robotics has become a front-runner in the global wave of intelligence. Inside a robotics company in Beijing's Zhongguancun tech hub, a head of overseas business conducts a video call with a Thai agent, promptly adjusting technical solutions to customize the most suitable products.

Founded in 2014, this enterprise has leveraged years of technological reserves to expand globally. Its robots are now deployed in over 40,000 hotels, more than 200 medical institutions and numerous factories across over 20 countries.

Utilizing a modular architecture, the company flexibly combines a universal robot chassis with various functional components. Users can dispatch robots to complete multiple tasks by issuing voice or text commands through an AI smartphone assistant.

Within the company, robots are increasingly becoming daily co-workers, navigating between floors to respond to employee needs, thereby refining their practical service capabilities. In the first half, China's cumulative exports of various robots reached 12.947 million units, with a total export value of 24.85 billion yuan, reaching more than 160 countries and regions. Relying on abundant application scenarios and comprehensive supply chains, Chinese firms are providing smarter, cost-effective robots worldwide.