The country where robots run marathons
Research with hominids is progressing, but where the Chinese are leaders is in the robotization of factories, where two million robots work.
BeijingThe development of humanoid robots has become a hallmark of the Asian giant. We've seen robots performing complex choreographies on Chinese television galas, playing soccer matches, and participating in marathons where humans and robots "competed" through the streets of Beijing. A training center for robots, the Humanoid Robot Kylin Training Ground, has even been established in Shanghai. The goal is to create a collaborative environment for companies to refine the mobility and intelligence of robots, and it is expected that by 2027 it will have the capacity to train a thousand robots simultaneously. In China, it's already common to see robots in restaurants or hotel receptions, but for now, these products primarily serve a decorative function rather than providing real-world employment solutions.
Leader in industrial robotics
Despite the government's push to develop hominid robots, most of these products still require key components to be purchased abroad. However, it is in industrial robotics where the Asian giant is the undisputed leader. Last year, more than two million robots were working in Chinese factories. And in 2024, 295,000 new ones were installed, a figure that exceeds the total installed in the rest of the world, according to data from the International Federation of Robotics.
The figures contrast sharply with those of its direct competitors: in the same period, Japan installed only 44,000 new robots in factories, and the United States 34,200. Spain, in tenth place in the ranking, installed 5,100 units, primarily for the automotive industry.
China's leadership stems from its status as one of the world's leading manufacturing hubs and its need to optimize its production chains. The large number of factories also drives product and market development. Since last year, China has been installing more domestically produced robots than those purchased from foreign companies. Behind this leadership lies government support. The 2015 five-year plan already established the development of robotics as a priority with the aim of reducing dependence on foreign suppliers, a goal that the government now seeks to further strengthen in the future.
That plan materialized with access to low-interest loans from state-owned banks for companies in the sector and direct aid with government funds. It also included facilitating acquisitions or mergers with foreign companies to facilitate technology transfer. In 2021, a new national directive was issued to expand aid and develop the hominid robot sector.
China is relying on the robotization of factories to address the declining population and the resulting labor shortage. Hominoid robots are also seen as a future solution for addressing elderly care services. However, this solution is still a long way off.