China is leading the world in robotics industry

Xin Guobin, vice-minister of industry and information technology, emphasised the significance of robotics in innovation and manufacturing while speaking at the 2023 World Robot Conference in Beijing. According to Xin, China’s robotics industry has achieved significant progress, with revenue exceeding 170 billion yuan ($23.3 billion) in 2022. He also stated that China’s sales of industrial robots accounted for more than 50% of the world’s total in 2022, ranking first globally for ten consecutive years. There are 392 robots per 10,000 employees in manufacturing, with robots already being used across 65 industries and 206 sub-industries.

Xin expressed China’s aim to accelerate the use of robotics in various fields, promote an inclusive development environment, and attract foreign investors to the country’s robotics industry. He called for enhanced international cooperation, as well as the establishment of regulations and standards to govern the technology’s development and application.

Data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology reveals that China produced 222,000 units of industrial robots in the first half of the year, which is a 5.4% year-on-year increase.

Even the International Federation of Robotics, a professional nonprofit organisation based in Germany, confirms that China is currently the world’s fastest-growing market for robots, with the highest number of robot installations each year. The rapid proliferation of robots and the reliance on automated manufacturing also allow China to compensate for its decreasing workforce.