China is projected to produce over half of the world’s humanoid robots in 2025, with more than 10,000 robots expected to be manufactured. This will generate 8.24 billion yuan (US$1.14 billion) in sales.

Lower production costs and a more developed ecosystem are fueling the shift from pilot projects to large-scale commercialization.

For example, in March, UBTech Robotics, which provides robotics to Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor, announced that Dongfeng will roll out 20 industrial humanoid robots. Full deployment is expected in the first half of 2025.

The market for embodied intelligence in China, combining AI with robotics, is expected to reach 5.3 billion yuan (US$726.84 million) this year.

It is  projected to grow to 103.8 billion yuan (US$14.24 bullion) by 2030, capturing 45% of the global market.

🔗 Source: China Daily

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ China’s humanoid robotics dominance builds on two decades of strategic development

China’s projected market leadership isn’t an overnight development but the result of consistent long-term investment beginning in 2000 when the Beijing Institute of Technology initiated humanoid robot research 1.

The progression from BHR-1 in 2002 (China’s first untethered bipedal robot) to commercial applications with BHR-3 by 2007 established early foundations for today’s accelerated growth 1.

This aligns with China’s broader robotics strategy, where the country has been the world’s largest industrial robot market since 2016, installing the largest number of industrial robots for 11 consecutive years 23.

The “Made in China 2025” initiative and the Robotics Industry Development Plan (2016-2020) specifically targeted robotics as a strategic sector, aiming to increase domestic robot market share from 31% to over 50% 2.

This systematic approach to developing technological capabilities and manufacturing infrastructure has positioned China advantageously in the current race for humanoid robot market leadership.

2️⃣ Manufacturing prowess and supply chain integration deliver critical competitive advantages

China’s manufacturing ecosystem provides distinct advantages in the capital-intensive humanoid robotics sector, enabling cost-effective mass production that other countries struggle to match 34.

Recent developments show this advantage translating into commercial applications, with Chinese robotics firm UBTech providing industrial humanoid robots to Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor, with full deployment expected in 2025 5.