Rapid development of Chinese robotics industry aids international supply chains: FM spokesperson

Workers assemble robots in Wuhu city, East China’s Anhui Province on August 12, 2025. The city is building a national-level robotics industry cluster, bringing more than 300 upstream and downstream companies, forming a comprehensive industrial chain ecosystem encompassing complete machines, core components, and system integration. Photo: VCG

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday that the rapid growth of Chinese robotics sector has not only accelerated the growth of domestic enterprises but also spurred coordinated development across international supply chains and related industries.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks at a regular press conference when asked to comment on the statement by Takayuki Ito, President of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) that China’s robotics industry is developing at an unprecedented pace and driving the automation of the manufacturing sector globally.

“According to the World Robotics 2025 report released by the International Federation of Robotics, the operational stock of industrial robots in China exceeded two million units in 2024, topping the world. In the meanwhile, we have seen Chinese robots enjoying promising prospects of application, from automotive, electronics, metal and machinery to domestic services, healthcare, and education. They are moving from laboratories to factory production lines and households around the world,” Lin said. 

The mass production of Chinese robots and diverse application scenarios are powered by vibrant innovation and a continuously improving environment for industrial development, Lin said.

To date, China is home to more than 500,000 high-tech enterprises and leads the world with over 40 percent of the global “Lighthouse Factories,” which represent the leading edge of smart manufacturing and digitalization, Lin said.

These developments are injecting sustained momentum into the Chinese economy while contributing wisdom and strength to global technological advancement, Lin noted.

“Innovation is the primary driver of development. China will continue to fully implement the innovation-driven development strategy, embrace the global market with greater openness and share the fruits of its sci-tech progress with the world,” Lin noted.

China’s industrial robot stock reached a record 2,027,000 units in 2024, accounting for more than half of global demand, the Frankfurt-based IFR said in its World Robotics 2025 report released in September, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Annual installations in China climbed to 295,000 units, up 7 percent from 2023, a record high, the report said. Globally, 542,000 industrial robots were installed in 2024.

China’s robot stock doubled within three years, surpassing 1 million units in 2021 and now counting 2 million units in 2024, according to IFR President Ito.

Global Times