The rapid expansion of China's digital economy is fueling growth across upstream and downstream sectors in the first two months of this year, a National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) spokesperson said Monday.
Fu Linghui, the NBS spokesperson, told a press conference in Beijing that the strong performance in the first two months of 2026 reflects the growing role of new quality productive forces and emerging growth drivers,
"The strong start to the economy in January-February was driven by the cultivation of new quality productive forces and the growth of new drivers. The integration of technological and industrial innovation, the accelerated expansion of 'AI Plus' initiatives, and the sound development of the digital economy have collectively improved conditions across both upstream and downstream industrial chains," Fu said.
"In January-February, the value-added output of the computer, communications and other electronic equipment manufacturing sector grew 14.2 percent year on year. This rapid growth in the electronics industry has spurred demand for upstream raw materials, particularly in the chemical sector, with the value-added of chemical raw materials and chemical products manufacturing industry posting 7.6 percent growth during the same period," said the spokesman.
"Meanwhile, the advancement of artificial intelligence and rising demand for computing power have provided a notable boost to upstream energy industries. In the first two months, the electricity and heat production and supply sector recorded 5.1 percent growth year on year, four percentage points faster than that in December 2025, demonstrating the growing ripple effects of new growth drivers across industrial chains. In addition, the push for green transformation has accelerated the production of new energy equipment, with many related product categories maintaining rapid growth and injecting fresh momentum into economic expansion," Fu said.
China's digital economy boosts industrial chains in Jan-Feb 2026: NBS spokesman
The first Brazil-China Forum on Trade and Tourism was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, gathering around 250 business leaders, government officials, and investors from both countries to explore avenues for strengthened cooperation.
The forum was part of the Brazilian platform TursiMall, which was held from Thursday to Saturday last week. It marked the first dedicated bilateral forum on tourism, commerce, and creative industries, particularly in the film sector.
The event, which featured a series of speakers and panel discussions, was supported by China National Offshore Oil Corporation and China Mobile.
Participants discussed a broad spectrum of topics, with particular emphasis on accelerating a strategic move to promote currency autonomy.
"China has created a synchronicity among the BRICS countries in a way that will make this new form of compensation intensify. As it intensifies, more and more people will be freed from the prison (of the dollar)," said Adair Carneiro, president of the Federation of Foreign Trade Chambers.
Tourism was also a key focus at the forum. Brazil has reciprocated China's visa-free travel policy for Brazilians, aiming to boost bilateral tourism and economic exchange.
Wang Haitao, China's Vice Consul General in Rio de Janeiro, believes this will generate significant economic benefit for both countries.
"Last year, 100,000 Chinese visited Brazil. It was a record even compared to the population of China," said Wang.
The event was expected to generate up to 25 million reais, or about 5 million U.S. dollars, in new business deals, as delegates learned of each other's core industries and market focuses.
Organizers also announced plans to host a Brazilian edition of the Canton Fair, one of the world's largest trade exhibitions, scheduled to take place in Rio in November.
Living up to the forum's stated goal of "generating concrete business opportunities," several agreements were signed by both Chinese and Brazilian business leaders, whose optimism is clearly on the rise.
Inaugural Brazil-China forum on trade, tourism sparks opportunities for cooperation
