China’s home appliance exports reached RMB 360.96 billion in the first half of 2026, with “cooling appliances” — air conditioners, electric fans, and refrigerators — accounting for RMB 107.91 billion, according to data from the General Administration of Customs released on July 14.
Television exports exceeded RMB 50 billion, while exports of refrigerators and vacuum cleaners each surpassed RMB 30 billion during the period.
Self-Owned Brands Now Account for One Quarter of Exports
The real story lies beneath the headline numbers. Chinese self-owned brands now account for one quarter of the country‘s home appliance exports — a share that continues to grow. In the first half of 2026, exports of self-branded appliances rose 21.2% year-on-year, with televisions, refrigerators, and washing machines all recording double-digit growth.
Customs spokesperson Lv Daliang noted that Chinese home appliances are being exported not only with improved quality but also with upgraded brands, as “intelligentization is empowering the iterative upgrading of China’s home appliance industry”.
Heatwaves Drive European Demand The surge in cooling appliance exports comes as Europe experiences severe heatwaves. In June alone, air conditioner exports to the EU jumped 72.8% year-on-year, bringing the first-half total to $3.76 billion — up 43.2% and hitting a record high for the period.
Chinese air conditioner brands now hold a 41% share of the European market, up from 27% in 2023, overtaking Japanese and Korean brands as the region‘s largest supply source.
Product Innovation Drives Success European household AC penetration averages only about 20% — Germany stands at just 3%-5% — due to strict building regulations, high installation costs (€1,000-2,000 per unit), and a large renter population.
Chinese manufacturers have responded with
installation-free portable split air conditioners that require no wall drilling and can be set up in minutes. Midea’s PortaSplit — designed by a cross-border R&D team in China, Germany, and Italy — has shipped over 200,000 units to Europe in the first half, doubling last year‘s volume. The product has sold out in multiple countries and has even traded at six times its retail price on secondary markets.
Logistics Support The China-Europe Railway Express has reduced delivery time to 15-25 days, compared to about 40 days by sea. From April to June, Guangzhou Railway Bureau shipped over 100,000 portable air conditioners via the rail express.
For international partners, the message is clear: China’s appliance exports are no longer just about manufacturing scale — they are increasingly about brand value, product innovation, and targeted solutions for regional market needs.
