China's machinery industry production and sales rebounded in the first half of this year
August 23 02:35:54, 2025
On August 6, the China Machinery Industry Federation (CMIF) held a press conference to discuss the economic performance of the machinery industry in the first half of 2013. The event was attended by key officials, including Executive Vice President Cai Weici, Yu Qingxi, Zhao Xinmin from the Statistical Information Department, and Dong Yang, Executive Vice President and Secretary General of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
During the press conference, Cai Weici provided an overview of the industry's performance in the first six months of the year. He noted that the value added by the machinery sector increased by 9.2% year-on-year, slightly higher than the same period in 2012. Although the growth rate for January-February was 9%, which was lower than the national industrial growth rate, the trend improved over the following months. By May, the monthly growth rate had risen to 9.9% and 9.7%, respectively, surpassing the overall industrial growth rate. By June, the cumulative growth of the machinery industry was just 0.1 percentage point behind the national average.
However, the sector faced challenges due to weak demand from end-users, leading to intensified competition and continued price declines. The mechanical product price index remained below 100% for 18 consecutive months, with a drop to 98.6% in June, indicating persistent downward pressure on prices. Out of 142 product categories, 82 saw year-on-year price declines, accounting for 57.75% of the total.
Looking ahead, the industry expects a slight improvement in growth compared to 2012, but overall prices are likely to remain low. Production and sales are projected to grow by around 12%, while profit growth is expected to be approximately 8%. Export volumes are anticipated to remain roughly similar to the previous year.
In response to these challenges, the industry must leverage policy support, accelerate structural reforms, and shift toward more sustainable development models to enhance the quality and efficiency of its growth.