China saw growth in industrial robot installations last year, bucking a global downturn, according to figures reported by the South China Morning Post, citing the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).
Preliminary IFR data shows global installations fell to around 520,000 units in 2024, with major markets posting declines: Japan down 7% to 43,000 units, the United States down 9% to 34,000, and the European Union down 6% to 86,000. China, however, recorded a 5% rise to about 290,000 units — representing 54% of all new industrial robots worldwide, up from 51% in 2023.
The momentum has carried into 2025. In the first half of the year, China’s industrial robot production surged 35.6% year on year to nearly 370,000 units, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
“New installations in China have been moving more or less sideways over the past four years,” IFR president Takayuki Ito said at the World Robot Conference in Beijing. “But China will remain a major market for industrial robotics.”
The South China Morning Post notes that Beijing has been accelerating automation as part of its strategy to move from labour-intensive manufacturing to high-tech production. In 2020, China had 246 industrial robots for every 10,000 workers, ranking ninth globally. By 2023, that number nearly doubled to 470, pushing the country to third place behind South Korea and Singapore.
Robot adoption in China is also diversifying. In 2024, 53% of installations were in general industries — up from 38% in 2020 — while the share in electronics fell from 45% to 28%. Despite geopolitical tensions and tariffs that could slow investment, Ito said China’s economic expansion and modernisation drive are expected to boost demand further during its next five-year plan.
