China auto industry sees 81% export increase for Jul. 2026

MANILA: China has exported a total of 1.043 million vehicles to other parts of the world in July 2026. This is equivalent to an 81.3 percent year-on-year increase. The aforementioned figure has also brought up the country’s total export count from January to July 2026 to 6.14 million complete vehicles. 

The said figure comes from the latest automotive industry performance report published by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). These numbers are likewise based on data provided to the said government agency by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). 

But while Chinese automobile export figures have risen in H1 2026 and in July 2026 alone, the country’s automobile production and sales for June 2026 totaled 2.573 million and 2.584 million, respectively. These are equivalent to a 0.7 percent and 0.3 percent year-on-year decline. 

On the one hand, data released by MIIT showed an increase in the production and sales of commercial vehicles in June 2026. Specifically, Chinese car brands have collectively produced 328,000 commercial vehicles and sold 317,000 units. 

Production and sales of new energy vehicles have also reached new heights for Chinese manufacturers. In June 2026, the country made a total of 1.576 million and sold 1.561 million electrified vehicles. These are equivalent to an increase of 26.8 percent and 23.7 percent. Notably, new energy vehicle sales accounted for 60.4 percent of total new vehicle sales in China. 

Notably, the decline in vehicle sales in China could be explained by several factors. The biggest of which is the unstable prices of fossil fuels - an issue that has also wracked the Philippine market since the start of the year. Conversely, this also explains the uptick in new energy vehicle adoption in the said region. 

Other stories: Jaecoo J5 arrives in Cebu with limited-time ownership package Geely Auto secures P1.5-trillion in revenue for H1 2026 In 7 pictures: Mitsubishi PH launches all-new Outlander PHEV

 

In context of PH

The latest trend in the Chinese automotive market is somewhat similar to the current state of the Philippine automotive industry. 

As shown in the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association’s (TMA) report for H1 2026, vehicle sales in the country are down 11 percent compared with H1 2025. 

On the one hand, several Chinese car brands operating in the Philippine market have stood their ground. Chief among these is BYD Cars Philippines, which has maintained its position as the third-best-selling car brand in the country as of April 2026. 

As of June 2026, SAIC Motor Philippines Incorporated, the distributor of Morris Garages (MG) cars in the local setting, has maintained its position amongst CAMPI brands as the top 10 best-selling brands for H1 2026. 

Electrified vehicles, which are identified by CAMPI-TMA as “xEV” models, have also gained a foothold in the country. In H1 2026, 31,381 units sold locally were xEVs, accounting for 15.24 percent of total market share. 

Also read:

Auto China 2024: brief explainer

Another Copycat Case Registered in Chinese Court, this time it's Land Rover vs Jiangling

Volkswagen Group to offer 20 new models in China by 2027

Connect with us through our various social media pages:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZigWheelsPhilippines

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zigwheelsph/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zigwheels

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ZigWheelsPhilippines/