On February 6, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) published the 2024 data for China’s electronic information manufacturing industry.
China’s electronic information manufacturing industry—corresponding to the “computer, communication, and other electronic equipment manufacturing” category in the national industry catalogue—covers a vast array of products and components. This sector produces items ranging from mobile phones and computers to integrated circuits and photovoltaic products, making it a linchpin of China’s industrial framework. It plays a vital role in driving the country’s economic growth and technological innovation, and China has held the title of the world’s largest electronic information manufacturing nation since 2007.
In this article, we provide an in-depth overview of the sector’s performance in 2024 and analyze the growth outlook for 2025, highlighting production trends, export dynamics, profitability, and regional performance disparities.
China’s electronic information manufacturing sector sees strong growth in 2024
In 2024, China’s electronic information manufacturing sector experienced steady expansion, driven by increased production, rising exports, stable profitability, and continued investment. The sector’s strong performance highlights its resilience despite global economic uncertainties.
Production growth outpaces the broader industry
The electronic information manufacturing sector saw an 11.8 percent year-on-year increase in value-added output for enterprises above the designated size (companies with an annual main business income of above RMB 20 million), outpacing the overall industrial sector by six percentage points and the high-tech manufacturing sector by 2.9 percentage points. In December alone, growth stood at 8.7 percent, indicating continued momentum.
Cumulative Growth Rate of Added Value
Key product segments that showed significant increases include:
- Mobile phones: Production reached 1.67 billion units, up 7.8 percent among which smartphones accounted for 1.25 billion units, marking an 8.2 percent increase YoY.
- Microcomputers: Output totaled 340 million units, reflecting a 2.7 percent rise.
- Integrated circuits: Production surged to 4,514 billion units, recording a 22.2 percent growth.
Notably, integrated circuits stood out with the highest growth rate among major product categories, signaling a strong push in semiconductor production, which aligns with China’s strategic focus on technological self-sufficiency.
Exports rebound with steady increases
The export delivery value for enterprises above the designated size grew by 2.2 percent year-on-year, improving by 0.9 percentage points compared to the January-November period.
Cumulative Growth Rate of Export Delivery Value
According to customs data, in 2024:
- Laptops: 143 million units exported, a 1.7 percent increase.
- Mobile phones: 814 million units exported, up 1.5 percent.
- Integrated circuits: 2,981 billion units exported, an 11.6 percent increase.
Although export growth remains modest, the steady rebound reflects improving global demand. The integrated circuit segment’s double-digit export growth highlights China’s strengthening position in the global semiconductor supply chain.
Profitability remains stable despite rising costs
Enterprises above a designated size reported a total revenue of RMB 16.19 trillion (US$2.27 trillion), an increase of 7.3 percent. Operating costs rose by 7.5 percent to RMB 14.11 trillion (US$1.98 trillion), leading to a total profit of RMB 640.8 billion (US$89.7 billion), up 3.4 percent. The profit margin stood at 4.0 percent, marking a slight improvement of 0.04 percentage points from the previous period.
Cumulative Growth Rate of Revenue and Total Profit of China's Electronic Information Manufacturing
In December, revenue reached RMB 1.74 trillion (US$244 billion), growing by 8.4 percent year-on-year. Despite the rising cost of operations, the sector maintained profitability, suggesting efficiency improvements and better cost control strategies.
Investment maintains strong momentum
Fixed asset investment in the electronic information manufacturing sector increased by 12 percent year-on-year, slightly decelerating by 0.6 percentage points compared to the January-November period. While this rate is marginally lower than the overall industrial investment growth (by 0.1 percentage points), it remains five percentage points higher than investment in high-tech manufacturing. This sustained investment reflects continued confidence in the sector’s long-term prospects.
Cumulative Growth Rate of Fixed Asset Investment
In 2024, the performance of China’s electronic information manufacturing also varied across different regions:
- Eastern China: RMB 11.36 trillion (US$1.59 trillion) in operating revenue, up 10.1 percent, contributing 70.2 percent of the national total.
- Central China: RMB 2.69 trillion (US$375 billion) in operating revenue, up 6.2 percent, accounting for 16.7 percent of the total.
- Western China: RMB 2.05 trillion (US$287 billion) in operating revenue, down 3.8 percent, making up 12.7 percent of the total.
Northeastern China: RMB 89.78 billion (US$12.6 billion) in operating revenue, down 12.4 percent, accounting for 0.6 percent of the total.
China's Electronic Information Manufacturing by Region
In December, the Eastern region saw the strongest growth at 11.2 percent, while the Northeastern region continued to decline. The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area recorded RMB 887.8 billion (US$124 billion) in revenue, a 17.8 percent increase, while the Yangtze River Delta region contributed RMB 4.54 trillion (US$635 billion), growing by 8.0 percent.
This uneven regional performance suggests that while coastal areas continue to drive China’s electronic manufacturing boom, inland and northeastern regions face structural challenges that may require policy support to foster growth.
2025 outlook: Sustained expansion with policy support
Looking ahead, the electronic information manufacturing sector is expected to maintain growth in 2025, supported by ongoing policy initiatives and investment in key technologies. The government’s focus on domestic semiconductor production and supply chain resilience will likely drive further expansion in integrated circuit manufacturing.
Exports may continue recovering as global demand stabilizes, but geopolitical uncertainties and trade restrictions remain key risks. Companies will need to navigate evolving international regulations while strengthening their technological capabilities.
Investment is anticipated to remain robust, particularly in high-value areas such as artificial intelligence, 5G networks, and green manufacturing. However, rising operational costs and regional disparities could pose challenges. To address these issues, targeted policies promoting industrial upgrades and regional development will be critical.
Overall, China’s electronic information manufacturing industry is poised for another year of steady growth in 2025, with innovation and policy support playing key roles in shaping its trajectory.
Original author information
China Briefing is one of five regional Asia Briefing publications, supported by Dezan Shira & Associates. For a complimentary subscription to China Briefing’s content products, please click here.
Dezan Shira & Associates assists foreign investors into China and has done so since 1992 through offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Zhongshan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. We also have offices in Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, United States, Germany, Italy, India, and Dubai (UAE) and partner firms assisting foreign investors in The Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Australia. For assistance in China, please contact the firm at [email protected] or visit our website at
