BEIJING: China has held its position as the world’s largest market for industrial robots for the 11th consecutive year.
Speaking at the 2024 World Robot Conference in Beijing, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) Xin Guobin revealed that in 2023, China produced 430,000 industrial robots, with new installations in the country accounting for more than half of the global market over the past three years.
Over the past 10 years, China’s rapid growth has significantly bolstered the global robotics industry. The country has made remarkable advances in its robot sector, achieving breakthroughs in bionic perception, cognition, planning, and control technologies.
By July 2024, China held over 190,000 effective robot-related patents, representing about two-thirds of the global total.
Xin also highlighted the “Robot plus Application” initiative, which is driving the integration of robots across various industries. Over the last 10 years, the number of robots per 10,000 workers in China’s manufacturing sector surged from 49 to 470.
The World Robot Conference, a five-day event that began on Wednesday in Beijing, features 169 global enterprises, including major players like Tesla and Siasun. The conference showcases over 600 robots, with more than 60 making their global debut.
In the global race to develop humanoid robots, tech giants are competing intensely. Goldman Sachs predicts that the global humanoid robot market will reach $154 billion by 2035.
According to Qichacha, a Chinese business data platform, China is home to nearly 720,000 robot-related businesses, with more than 20 enterprises now producing complete humanoid robot products.
Zhong Xinlong, an AI expert at CCID Consulting, a think tank under the MIIT, noted that China has gained a first-mover advantage in the humanoid robot market, positioning itself on par with developed nations.
