GLOBAL orders have been pouring in since the start of the year, with production lines for China-made construction machinery operating at full capacity, according to industry data, business insiders and experts interviewed by the Global Times.
This reflects the growing international footprint of Chinese construction machinery.
Exports of construction machinery products reached $10.686 billion in the first two months, up 33.4 percent year on year, according to data released by the China Construction Machinery Association (CCMA). Despite the Chinese New Year holiday in February, exports still exceeded $5.1 billion, exceeding the 2025 monthly average by 5.016 percent, according to the association.
Resilient external demand and continued industrial upgrading are expected to support steady growth, a Chinese analyst said. As this year marks the start of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), the country’s construction machinery industry is poised to play an increasingly important role in driving the global expansion of high-quality Chinese manufacturing amid robust demand.
Robust trade
Liu Huayan, a manager at Xinjiang Hongyunda Freight International Co., keeps a close eye on trends in related product exports. She has been engaged in cross-border trade between China and Central Asian countries for many years. Over time, the range of products has expanded from construction materials to machinery to meet the region’s growing industrial demand.
While no significant export growth has been seen in the first two months of this year, mainly because many projects have not yet started, export demand usually becomes more apparent in the second half of the year, Liu said.
Central Asia’s infrastructure market in roads, railways and new energy facilities is growing rapidly, driving strong demand for construction machinery. Liu said she is confident that exports of these products will remain strong this year.
In response to investors regarding overseas market expansion this year, industrial conglomerate XCMG said the company has a well-established global presence and strong international expansion capabilities, with a marketing network covering more than 190 countries and regions worldwide.
Looking ahead, the company expects the overseas market to continue performing well, with export revenue still able to achieve solid growth. With continuous improvement of domestic product quality, complete overseas channel layouts, accelerated development of after-sales service markets and rising competitiveness of domestic brands, penetration into overseas markets is increasing.
One recent case from China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Co. shows how China’s construction machinery products are gaining a market edge through their competitive features, enabling them to capture a growing share of the market.
Recently, China Railway Construction Heavy Industry Co.’s first domestically developed tunnel boring machine (TBM) exported to Switzerland has successfully completed excavation of a water diversion tunnel.
This project enabled a precise tunnel breakthrough and represents the first successful application of a Chinese TBM under the complex geological conditions of the Alps.
As the first Swiss project to use a Chinese-made TBM, the successful completion not only demonstrates the reliability and advanced capabilities of Chinese TBMs, said the company.
Expanding footsteps
Commenting on the growing export trend, an official from the CCMA told the media that the competitiveness of China’s construction machinery industry continues to improve. In the future, exports are expected to maintain steady growth, serving as an important driver for high-quality “Made in China” products going global, said the report.
The growth is mainly due to a rebound in global infrastructure demand and sustained overseas preference for Chinese products that offer high cost-effectiveness and reliable technology, Li Changan, a professor at the Academy of China Open Economy Studies at the University of International Business and Economics, told the Global Times on Monday.
The continuous expansion of domestic high-end and electric models also meets the diverse demand for advanced equipment across regions, especially in BRI partner countries, said Li.
Looking ahead, steady growth is expected to persist. Driven by the synergy between domestic and international markets, exports are set to expand, and China’s share of the global construction machinery market is expected to increase, the expert said.
global times
