China's leadership in the development of anthropomorphic robots will be the main driver of the next stage of the country's global dominance in manufacturing and exports, reports Bloomberg, citing a report by Morgan Stanley, one of the world's largest investment banks.
Economists believe that China's investment and early leadership in the industry will lead to an increase in its share of global production of humanoid robots from the current 15% to 16.5% by 2030. It is noted that such robots are already being used by Chinese technology parks, factories and universities. Public procurement is also growing, creating a foundation for wider adoption of these developments.
As Chetan Ahya, the bank’s lead economist, wrote in the report, “China has a track record of identifying promising growth areas early and planning ahead.” He commented on China’s dominance in electric vehicle and battery manufacturing. “The robotics industry is following a similar path,” he emphasized.
As with electric vehicles, China is expanding its capacity across the supply chain for humanoid robots. This gives the country an advantage over competitors such as the United States, Japan, and South Korea, which often rely on Chinese components and parts. Economists at Morgan Stanley point out that while the US has focused on expensive and high-tech prototypes, focusing on testing rather than mass production, Chinese firms have been faster in introducing new models, using the local market as a testing ground.
As noted in China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for socio-economic development, published in March, the country plans to accelerate the modernization and practical application of anthropomorphic robots. For these purposes, models and algorithms for embodied artificial intelligence that combine the functions of the brain and the brain will be developed.
In April, a Chinese-developed humanoid robot ran a half marathon (21 km) in Beijing in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, breaking the human record. This also surpassed last year's record by more than three times. According to organizers, this result exceeds the world record for a human half marathon of 56 minutes and 42 seconds. More than 100 teams participated in the humanoid robot competition, 95 of which were from China. The world's first humanoid robot half marathon was held in Beijing in April 2025. More than 20 intelligent machines participated, with the leader finishing in 2 hours and 40 minutes.