China’s service robots outpaced industrial robots in both growth and production during the first two months of 2025, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Service robot production surged by 35.7% to nearly 1.5 million units, while industrial robot output grew by 27% to 91,088 units.

The NBS recently began reporting service robots as a separate category, highlighting their expanding role beyond manufacturing.

NBS statistician Sun Xiao noted that growth in service robots, industrial robots, and industrial control systems contributed to a 9.1% rise in digital product manufacturing.

Chinese service robot sector includes consumer, professional, and medical robots, with innovation driven by startups like Unitree Robotics and UBTech Robotics.