China's printed circuit board industry is moving into a new investment cycle, with planned spending for 2026 topping CNY70 billion, or about US$10.3 billion. The expansion is described as being led by ZDT, highlighting a fresh wave of capital flowing into advanced board production.
The main driver is rising demand from AI infrastructure. As AI servers become a larger part of data center build-outs, manufacturers need more sophisticated PCBs that can support higher speeds, denser designs and more demanding performance requirements.
Demand is also being lifted by high-speed optical modules and edge AI devices. Together, these product areas are increasing the need for advanced printed circuit boards across both networking and end-device applications, pushing suppliers to expand capacity and upgrade technology.
The scale of the planned investment suggests that Chinese PCB makers see AI hardware as a major growth engine over the next few years. With AI servers, optical connectivity and edge computing all requiring higher-end boards, the sector appears positioned for a significant buildout in 2026.
