en.Wedoany.com Reported - China has launched its 15th Five-Year Plan, placing robotics at the core of its modern industrial system and driving the translation of artificial intelligence research into physical applications, with robots serving as a primary driver of economic growth.

According to the "World Robotics 2025 Report" released by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), China's operational stock of industrial robots in the manufacturing sector has reached approximately 2 million units, roughly 4.5 times that of Japan. Of the industrial robots installed globally each year, 54% are deployed in China.

China produces both industrial robots and develops advanced humanoid robots. Industrial robots dominate the manufacturing sector, focusing on high-speed, high-precision tasks; humanoid robots demonstrate embodied intelligence, but most remain in the pilot project stage. For example, China's humanoid robot "Shandian" recently won a half-marathon race against humans.

IFR President Takayuki Ito noted: "The Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of the People's Republic of China is the primary framework document setting the overall direction for all other government actions. Thousands of subordinate departmental and regional plans must now align with its objectives. Under the new framework, China is shifting its focus from traditional industrial automation to high-end intelligent robots integrated with artificial intelligence."

To showcase capabilities, China conducted humanoid robot demonstrations during the televised Spring Festival celebrations and the Beijing Humanoid Robot Half Marathon. However, in actual production scenarios, their capabilities remain limited to pilot projects, and the development of humanoid robot platforms and embodied artificial intelligence is often carried out by different market participants.

Compared to traditional industrial robots, humanoid robots have limitations. Commentators point out that "form follows function," and the human body structure is not necessarily suited for all tasks. Industrial robots, with fewer joints and simpler control schemes, are more reliable in high-speed, high-precision manufacturing environments. Industrial robots remain the backbone of manufacturing, while humanoid robots are more suitable for service tasks, but large-scale adoption will not occur in the near or medium term. The new plan anticipates that humanoid robots will achieve commercialization by the end of the planning period, and that artificial intelligence will be widely integrated with traditional industrial robots within the next five to ten years.

China's vast domestic market provides opportunities for plan implementation. The share of domestic suppliers in the country's industrial robot installations increased from 30% in 2020 to 57% in 2024. Globally, 64% of industrial robot installations in the electronics industry are in China, with 59% of those supplied by Chinese vendors; in the metals and machinery sector, the market share of domestic brands has reached 85%.

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