HONG KONG - China shipments abroad picked up pace in June with a 27 percent rise from the same month last year, helped by surging needs linked to artificial intelligence growth, according to customs officials on Tuesday.

The June performance exceeded forecasts from analysts, following a 19.4 percent year-on-year gain recorded in May.

Imports for the month climbed 36 percent, outpacing the 27.4 percent increase seen in May, as analysts linked part of the rise to higher costs stemming from the Iran conflict.

The country posted a trade surplus of 125.6 billion dollars in June, up from 105.4 billion dollars the month before.

Trade figures posted another strong advance in June, noted Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics in a Tuesday report. The move largely tracks higher semiconductor prices driven by the AI expansion, though underlying foreign demand for Chinese products stays solid even after accounting for that factor.

Outbound sales of vehicles including electric models along with other technology goods have expanded quickly as AI adoption lifts requirements for chips and related electronics.

Resilient factory output for export has helped counter extended softness in local consumption and capital spending amid the ongoing property sector slump.

Over the first half of the year, exports rose 17.6 percent from a year earlier while imports increased 26.6 percent based on customs records.

Officials in the United States and Europe have voiced concern about widening trade gaps with China. To navigate added tariffs and other hurdles, Chinese firms have shifted production to locations including Europe and stepped up deliveries to markets in Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa.

Although export momentum appears set to persist, the trend is growing more uncertain, according to Wei Li at BNP Paribas Securities in China. Continued strength in auto and AI-linked categories will hinge on worldwide demand patterns and regulatory obstacles, he added.

Shipments to Southeast Asia jumped nearly 35 percent in June from a year earlier, while those to the European Union and Latin America rose more than 18 percent and 28 percent respectively.

Exports to the United States advanced almost 14 percent year on year. Recent gains partly reflect lower volumes in the prior period after President Donald Trump took office last year and raised tariffs.

China plans to release second-quarter economic growth numbers on Wednesday. Leaders have targeted annual expansion between 4.5 percent and 5 percent, a notch below the 5 percent pace achieved in 2025.

The International Monetary Fund last week lifted its China growth projection by 0.2 percentage points to 4.6 percent, yet it forecasts expansion slowing to 4.1 percent by 2027.

Authorities have rolled out measures such as trade-in incentives for cars and appliances to support household spending, but many residents continue to feel the effects of slower growth and are holding back on major purchases.