China installs record industrial robots, driving manufacturing automation
China installed a record 354,000 industrial robots in 2025, accounting for 59 percent of global installations, according to the IFR World Robotics 2026 report. Electronics firms were the largest buyers with 96,400 units, while automotive and metal and machinery sectors expanded rapidly with 78,900 and 78,700 installations respectively. Chinese suppliers rose 15 percent and supplied 55 percent of the domestic market, while imports grew 27 percent. The report links automation to demographic pressures and government policy that emphasizes physical AI and technological self-reliance, and it forecasts 5–10 percent annual market growth through 2029.
China accounted for 59 percent of global industrial robot installs in 2025
Context
China began a national robotics strategy about ten years ago. Policy updates and the 15th Five-Year Plan now push physical AI and robotics. Installations may continue growing about 5–10 percent annually through 2029.
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