The Chinese government’s statistical bureau has added a new metric for "service robots" to its monthly industrial production report, alongside the pre-existing "industrial robots" classification, providing a more detailed perspective. the expanding robotics sector of the nation .
Although China leads globally in industrial robotics with more than half of all installations worldwide, its service robot industry—encompassing professional, consumer, and healthcare robots—is experiencing rapid growth, driven partly by startups like those based in Hangzhou. Unitree Robotics and Shenzhen-based UBTech Robotics .
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported on Monday that production of service robots in China – which includes those utilized for activities such as delivering goods and cleaning – surged by 35.7 percent to almost 1.5 million units during the initial two months of this year.
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Service robots surpassed industrial robots in terms of growth and production. According to NBS data, the output of industrial robots between January and February was 91,088 units, marking a 27 percent rise compared to the same period last year.
According to a statement made by NBS statistician Sun Xiao, the cumulative production from these sectors, including industrial control computers and systems, led to a 9.1 percent increase in the value addition of digital product manufacturing.
The move by the statistics bureau to release information about service robot production highlights the rising significance of robotics within China’s economy. As these machines become more prevalent across various sectors—from hotels to schools—a rapidly expanding market with significant promise is emerging.
In recent years, Chinese companies specializing in cleaning robots—a key segment of service robots—have experienced significant growth. According to market research firm IDC, in 2024, Beijing-based Roborock outpaced the U.S.-based frontrunner iRobot in terms of product shipments.
In the list of the top five cleaning robot makers from last year, four were Chinese companies: Roborock, Ecovacs Robotics, Xiaomi, and Dreame. iRobot came in at number two globally, holding a 13.7 percent market share, slightly behind Roborock’s 16 percent.
The Chinese government has been placing increased importance on the robotics industry. During the recent presentations at the yearly sessions of the nation's highest legislative and consultative bodies referred to as the "two sessions" For the first time, the phrase "embodied intelligence" was introduced. This notion pertains to the use of artificial intelligence within tangible systems like robots.
The field of robotics has likewise drawn interest substantial attention from venture capitalists In the initial two months of this year, approximately 2 billion yuan (US$276 million) in fresh investment funds were distributed among human-like robot manufacturers through 20 separate financing rounds. This represents a significant rise compared to the 1.2 billion yuan raised via just four deals during the same period last year, as reported by ITJuzi, a platform tracking investments in the startup ecosystem.
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The article initially appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), which serves as the premier source of news covering China and Asia.
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