According to the latest report published by the International Federation of Robotics, China has surpassed all other countries in the production and installation of factory robots. Last year, the country added approximately 300,000 new robots to its factories, bringing the total number of robots in operation to over 2 million.
China has advanced in robotics
This number exceeds the total number of robots deployed in the rest of the world. For comparison, only 34,000 robots were deployed in factories in the US during the same period.
The Beijing government has taken strategic steps to seize leadership in robotics. With the “Made in China 2025” program announced in 2015, it decided to reduce its dependence on imports. Government-provided policy incentives and public capital have enabled Chinese companies to grow not only in robotics but also in other strategic areas such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence.
State banks have provided virtually unlimited, low-interest loans to companies, supported the acquisition of foreign companies, and provided direct financial assistance. A detailed plan to expand the use of robots was launched in 2021.
China’s efforts in factory automation have played a significant role in China’s rise to become a global manufacturing powerhouse. Factories in China have been installing more than 150,000 robots annually since 2017.
Today, Chinese factories alone account for one-third of all global production, more than the combined production of the US, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Britain.
Compared to 2023, robot installations in Japan, the US, South Korea, and Germany declined, while growth continued in China. Until 2024, China relied primarily on imported robots. However, nearly two-thirds of the robots installed last year were now domestically produced.
As a result of these developments, the number of robots operating in China has reached five times that of the US. According to the federation, China’s share of global robot production rose to one-third of global supply last year, compared to one-quarter in 2023. Japan’s share in the world market, which was previously the leader, fell from 38% to 29%.
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