China's machinery industry maintained steady and positive performance in the first half of the year, reporting stable growth in production and sales, the China Machinery Industry Federation (CMIF) said on Monday.
Data from the CMIF showed that the machinery industry's added value increased by nine percent year on year in the first six months. This growth rate was two percentage points higher than that of the manufacturing sector.
In the first half of the year, the number of enterprises above the designated size in the machinery industry reached 136,000, an increase of 6,000 from the same period last year, accounting for 26.2 percent of the national industrial sector.
Industrial enterprises above designated size are those with annual revenue from principal business reaching over 20 million yuan (about 2.77 million U.S. dollars).
The added value of the five major sectors of the national economy mainly involved in the machinery industry all achieved year-on-year growth.
Among them, the automobile and electrical machinery industries achieved double-digit growth, with growth rates reaching 11.3 percent and 12.2 percent, respectively. The general equipment, special equipment, and instrumentation industries grew by 8.3 percent, 3.8 percent, and 7.6 percent, respectively.
In addition, 68.9 percent, or 84 out of the 122 categories of mechanical products monitored by the federation posted a year-on-year increase of 7.4 percent in production.
"Looking ahead to the whole year, the continued implementation of macroeconomic and industrial policies and the accelerated introduction of various reform measures will continue to benefit the operation and development of the machinery industry, so that it will maintain a stable and positive operating trend," said Luo Junjie, executive vice president of the CMIF.
China's machinery industry posts stable growth in H1
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
