Fewer robots exported to China

Robots made domestically accounted for 39 percent of the Chinese market last year, according to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP). Beijing had set a target in its „Made in China 2025“ strategy to meet 50 percent of its robot demand in 2020 from domestic production. A technology gap between domestic and foreign robot manufacturers is cited as the cause for the missed target. In particular, high-tech industries such as auto manufacturing would still rely on foreign robot suppliers. It said, the Peoples Republic still relies heavily on supplies from Japan for core robot components. According to Ning Xi, Professor of Robotics and Automation at the University of Hong Kong, Germany and Japan have a competitive advantage in the robotics sector because they invested in this area many years ago, the SCMP said.