Redazione RHC : 12 October 2025 08:07
China is consolidating its position as a global manufacturing powerhouse thanks to an unprecedented pace of production and installation of industrial robots. According to a report by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) released Thursday, the number of robots operating in Chinese factories will surpass 2 million in 2024 , with nearly 300,000 new installations in just one year —more than the rest of the world combined. The United States , ranked third in terms of robot installations, has only 34,000 units .
Automation is now at the heart of Beijing’s industrial strategy, supported by public funds and government policies aimed at making Chinese companies global leaders not only in robotics, but also in semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI) .
Over the past decade, a New York Times article reports, China has launched an intense campaign to integrate robotics into manufacturing processes, while developing a domestic industry of robots and advanced technological components. “Chinese companies have been investing in this sector for many years,” explained Su Lianjie , chief analyst at Omdia , emphasizing that the growth is not the result of chance but of long-term planning.
Since 2017 , the country has been consistently installing more than 150,000 industrial robots per year , an expansion that parallels the growth in manufacturing output. Today, Chinese factories produce nearly a third of the world’s goods , surpassing those of the United States, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom combined.
Behind China, the countries with the highest robot usage are Japan, the United States, South Korea, and Germany . However, the number of new installations in these countries is declining. Japan , for example, installed 44,000 robots in 2024, a decrease from the previous year.
The Chinese government made robotics a priority back in 2015 with the “Made in China 2025” plan, aimed at reducing dependence on imported technology goods. Since then, strategic sectors have benefited from subsidized loans , acquisitions supported by state-owned banks , and direct injections of public capital . In 2021 , Beijing introduced a national robotics strategy , which has further boosted the sector’s growth.
According to the IFR, China’s share of global robot production rose to 33% in 2024 , up from 25% in 2023 , while Japan’s share dropped from 38% to 29% . Furthermore, nearly 60% of robots installed in China now come from local manufacturers, a reversal from previous years, when imports dominated.
Chinese factories now use five times more robots than American ones . At the Zeekr Auto plant in Ningbo , for example, automated trucks transport heavy materials completely autonomously.
The report does not include humanoid robots , which are still in the experimental stage, but government support has already fueled a vibrant network of startups in the sector . Among these, Hangzhou-based Yushu Technology Co., Ltd. has announced plans to go public by the end of the year. Its latest model, priced at 39,900 yuan , is significantly cheaper than products from international companies like Boston Dynamics .
Despite progress, China remains behind in the production of key components for humanoid robots, such as sensors and semiconductors , still dominated by manufacturers from Germany and Japan . “A high-end humanoid robot would still be made almost entirely of foreign parts,” Su Lianjie notes.
China’s strength in the industrial sector remains evident: the country has a large pool of specialized technicians and programmers . However, the demand for robot installers is so high that their average annual salaries have reached 430,000 yuan .
At the same time, the domestic artificial intelligence industry is helping to optimize factory management. According to Cameron Johnson , a supply chain consultant in Shanghai, “Chinese companies are using AI to analyze machine performance and identify inefficiencies in real time.” Outside China, he adds, this approach “is not yet as widespread as it is in Chinese factories.”
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