Kathmandu— China's service trade grew by 8.3 percent year on year in the first half of 2026, reaching nearly 3.78 trillion yuan (about 556.56 billion U.S. dollars), according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday.

Travel Services Lead Growth

Among the top five service export categories, travel services saw the fastest growth, increasing by 31.1 percent to reach 229.2 billion yuan. This surge reflects a strong rebound in international tourism and business travel after pandemic-related restrictions were lifted.

Knowledge-Intensive Services Thrive

The value of knowledge-intensive services trade rose by 6.7 percent year on year to reach 1.66 trillion yuan, accounting for 44 percent of all service trade. Personal cultural and entertainment services saw a significant increase of 57.2 percent, while charges for the use of intellectual property surged by 44.3 percent.

Transport Services Imports Surge

Imports of transport services grew at an impressive rate of 30.4 percent to total 498.1 billion yuan in the first half of 2026, marking the fastest growth among the top five service import categories.

(With inputs from Xinhua)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.