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Robotics
As China bets on tech and innovation to drive its growth, it has placed its chips on several industrial sectors that are expected to play increasingly important roles in development and trade, which will bring fresh opportunities and challenges for stakeholders. SCMP’s China Future Tech is your go-to destination for the latest news, insights, and opinions on these select industries. Explore in-depth coverage of EVs, AI, semiconductors, aerospace, robotics and biomedicine sectors. Follow us to stay ahead in China's evolving competitive landscape.
A humanoid robot is pictured at the 2025 Global Industrial Internet Conference in China’s northeastern Liaoning province. China has identified humanoid robots as one of several strategic future industries that it aims to lead. Photo: Xinhua
China manufacturing

China vows more support for ‘little giant’-like firms amid self-sufficiency push

Beijing also aims to collect more industrial data and push manufacturers to embrace digital solutions.

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China technology

Chinese firms, led by AgiBot, outpace US rivals in 2025 humanoid robot shipments

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Artificial intelligence

Chinese robot conducts complex operation on pig without human intervention

China economy

Price wars in China

Intense price competition in China, known as “neijuan” or involution, is causing deflationary risks, corporate losses, reduced investments and wage pressure.

Price wars in China
Artificial intelligence

Shenzhen eyes bigger role in world robotics arena as firms vow to boost output

Premier Li Qiang urges faster adoption of robotics to benefit industries and households during a meeting with tech companies in Shenzhen.

Video | Chinese humanoid robot shows off combat-style agility

China’s Unitree Robotics advances its next-gen H2 humanoid with balance, strength and precision.

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Mainland China

China’s robotics sector will need 5 years to reach its ‘EV moment’, PE firm says

The robotics sector was estimated to have raised over US$8.15 billion in 2025, up more than 170 per cent from the year before.

Sean Xiang, Hermitage Capital’s founder and CEO, photographed at his office in Central, Hong Kong. Photo: Yik Yeung-man
CES

China’s humanoid robot makers, Hong Kong start-ups set to dazzle CES 2026

Nearly a dozen Chinese humanoid robot makers are expected at the trade show, while Hong Kong sends its largest-ever delegation.

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Artificial intelligence

China takes confident strides to develop more AI innovation in 2026

‘China’s tech innovation is poised for policy-driven growth in 2026, with AI placed at the centre of the country’s economic agenda,’ NYU’s Winston Ma says.

China technology

Chinese robot vacuum maker Dreame gives staff gifts of gold, trip to Antarctica

Dreame’s surprise largesse reflects its robust business growth in 2025, as it remains one of the world’s top robot vacuum cleaner brands.

A Dreame 10s Ultra robot vacuum cleaner. Photo: Dreame
3D printing

How a Chinese start-up is scaling 3D printing from sneakers to robots

Materials expert Wang Wenbin founded PollyPolymer in 2017 and developed a mature 3D-printing technology for footwear two years later.

3D-printed footwear accounts for 60 per cent of PollyPolymer’s total revenue. Photo: Handout
Unitree Robotics

Editorial | Keep humans in mind as China races ahead in robotics

The focus must be on finding a future where human creativity and robotic efficiency can work together rather than compete.

DJI

Untapped global demand to drive next phase of robotic vacuum growth: Dreame

Europe is Dreame’s largest market for robotic vacuum cleaners, with more than half of its revenue there generated by premium products.

Robotics: Companies

Tech giants go prime time in the fight for China’s biggest audience

ByteDance, Tencent and Alibaba are in talks over Spring Festival Gala sponsorship packages, as AI rivalry becomes a fight for ad real estate.

The annual Spring Festival Gala has become a key marketing battleground for China’s Big Tech companies. Photo: CCTV
China stock market

UBTech’s US$237 million Fenglong deal tightens humanoid robot supply chain

Hong Kong-listed UBTech is buying a 43 per cent stake in Zhejiang Fenglong, as China’s robotics firms increasingly eye A-share acquisitions.

Chinese robotics firms are increasingly turning to acquisitions of mainland-listed companies to deepen industrial capabilities and secure access to domestic capital markets. Photo: Xinhua
Artificial intelligence

China’s AI toy boom: Huawei, JD.com, UBTech make big push into growing sector

China’s AI toy sector is forecast to expand to US$12 billion by 2030, up from US$3.5 billion this year.

Mainland China

China’s AgiBot aims for US$142 million revenue as humanoid robots gain momentum

Fast-growing robotics start-up expects to ship out 5,000 units in 2025 amid Beijing backing of the embodied intelligence industry.

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US-China trade war

Explainer | Will US-led ‘Pax Silica’ be a new dawn for the international AI supply chain?

Trump administration aims for deeper technology cooperation on new AI infrastructure with allies.

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Representatives of the “Pax Silica” signatories hold signed documents at a summit held in Washington on December 12. The initiative is America’s new vision for the international AI supply chain. Photo: Getty Images/AFP
China's military weapons

‘Saturation attacks’: drone swarms key for wartime victory, PLA Daily says

Concentrated UAV swarms seen to allow ‘optimal combat effectiveness with minimal battlefield expenditure’.

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China technology

Chinese team smashes robot rival as sparks fly at Abu Dhabi showdown

Deep-Sea Shark 3, built by China’s Fierce Roc team, kicks some bot at the Battle of the Robots at Abu Dhabi’s Games of the Future.

Science

Chinese researchers show how a word could let spies take control of a robot army

Demonstration at cybersecurity event highlights a flaw that could turn one robot into a ‘Trojan horse’ that can seize control of others.

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The team that identified the security flaw has urged manufacturers to establish their own security systems or seek external help. Photo: Xinhua
Unitree Robotics

Unitree G1 humanoids go viral with synchronised frontflip and Musk endorsement

China continues to dominate in humanoid robotics, and its lead over the US is accelerating, according to a recent Morgan Stanley report.

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Unitree robots dance on stage with singer Wang Leehom in Chengdu last Thursday. Photo: Handout
Japan

Japan announces US$6 billion support for home-grown AI development

A new company will be established by around 10 firms including SoftBank Group Corp, aiming to develop the country’s largest base AI model.

China technology

Building a humanoid robot without China? Then you better bring a bigger wallet

China has issued five times the number of patents related to humanoid robots than the US, says Morgan Stanley.

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China technology

China’s humanoid arms race: start-ups debut robots for stores, offices and factories

China’s latest venture-backed robotics contenders are unveiling ever more humanlike machines for reception desks, stores and factory floors.

Hobbs, Noetix Robotics. Photo: Handout
China economy

Opinion | Protection of vulnerable workers must be part of China’s AI strategy

Unemployment and underemployment are a double whammy that the Chinese leadership cannot ignore.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens

Video | Even China’s small factories are turning to robot workers

As large manufacturers turn to fully automatic “dark factories,” smaller operators are adding robots to supplement human labour.

Artificial intelligence

SenseTime pushes open-source AI model to provide a ‘smart brain’ for every robot

The Chinese AI pioneer also releases first robot dogs under new venture Ace Robotics.

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