Robotics companies increase investment as China aims to become global hub

Chinese robotics companies are stepping up investments in research as China has pledged to achieve breakthroughs in core robotics technologies, as reported by CCTV+, a partner of TV BRICS.

According to a guideline jointly released by 15 government agencies including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), China aims to make major breakthroughs in core robotic technologies by 2025.

For the robotics industry, the annual growth rate of its operating revenue is expected to exceed 20 percent on average by 2025, and the robot density in the manufacturing industry will double from the current level, the guideline said.

Artificial intelligence and robots are already a large part of modern society. In a community hospital in Shanghai, Zhu Ruihua is using a medical robot to restore her strength. She fell and broke her leg in December last year. After surgery and two weeks of treatment, Zhu has made a full recovery.

"There are different modes on this medical robot. I can exercise my right shoulder when I move right with the help of the machine, just like I am playing games. I think it is really useful," said Zhu.

These medical robots are designed and manufactured by Shanghai-based Fourier Intelligence, which has exported these robots to over 30 countries and regions. Encouraged by the nation's guideline on robotics industry, most companies hope to seize these huge opportunities.

"Our strategy is to increase investment in the underlying technology of robots. We will also focus on some specific sectors, such as rehabilitation and medical fields to offer tailor-made services," said Gu Jie, chief executive officer of Fourier Intelligence.

China's manufacturing robot density in 2020 clocked at 246 units per 10,000 employees, which was almost double the global average. The country aims to improve its level of automation even further.

Robots are mainly composed of hardware and software. As China aims to digitize more domestic manufacturers, more robot designers and software talents are needed.

"We really want to see more software, especially robot software, and companies should step in, especially for robot operating systems, for AI algorithms, and for software used in designing robot chips," said Wei Hongfeng, chief executive officer of China Science IntelliCloud Technology Co., Ltd.

By 2025, China plans to become an innovation hub for global robot technology and applications. These high-end advanced robots are expected to be used in sectors like automobile, aerospace, logistics, mining, and agriculture to meet the growing demand.