Chinese factories embrace robot-driven production

China accounted for nearly three out of every five industrial robots installed worldwide last year, showing the country's accelerating automation of manufacturing while positioning robotics and artificial intelligence at the center of its industrial strategy.

China installed a record 354,000 industrial robots in 2025, equivalent to 59 percent of global installations, according to the World Robotics 2026 report released on Thursday by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). The figure further cements the country's position as the world's largest industrial robot market.

The milestone comes as the country deepens its focus on advanced manufacturing under its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), which identifies physical AI and robotics as key engines of future economic growth.