- Tech-led expansion accelerates across province’s industrial base
- New energy, electronics and robotics drive output gains
Anhui’s industrial economy maintained rapid expansion in the first five months of 2026, with value-added output from large-scale industries rising 12.1% year-on-year.
The number significantly outpaces the national average, placing the province among China’s fastest-growing industrial regions, according to official data.
Growth accelerated further in May, when industrial output from companies above designated size — 20 million yuan ($2.94 million) or more in annual main business revenue — climbed 15.4% year-on-year.
This was 3.1 percentage points higher than April, signaling sustained momentum in manufacturing activity.
Manufacturing remained the main engine of expansion, while utilities and mining recorded more modest gains, reflecting a continued shift toward higher-value industrial output.
Shift toward higher-value output
High-tech manufacturing emerged as the dominant growth driver, with output surging 42.3% in the January-May period and contributing more than half of total industrial growth.
In May alone, the sector expanded 53.3%, underscoring its accelerating role in the province’s industrial structure.
Within advanced manufacturing, electronics and automotive production stood out. Computer, communications and other electronic equipment manufacturing rose 57.6%, while automobile production increased 27%.
Of robots, batteries and ICs
New growth industries also showed strong momentum. Production of service robots jumped 68.4%, lithium-ion batteries rose 36.4%, and integrated circuits increased 31.3%, highlighting Anhui’s deepening presence in strategic emerging sectors.
In May, new energy vehicle output reached 189,000 units, up 60.4% year-on-year.
The province has undergone a structural transformation in recent years, evolving from an agriculture-heavy economy into one of China’s major industrial hubs.
From agriculture to industry
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), total industrial revenue grew from 3.8 trillion yuan to 5.9 trillion yuan, ranking fifth nationwide.
Anhui has also become a national leader in automotive production, with both combustion and electric vehicle output now ranking first in China.
