China industrial robot exports surpass imports amid market shift

China's industrial robot market is undergoing a significant structural shift, moving toward high-precision and intelligent automation. For the first time, China's export value of industrial robots, totaling 11.97 billion yuan, has surpassed its import value of 9.83 billion yuan. Local Chinese companies now hold a 57% market share, overtaking foreign competitors, particularly in the SCARA and small 6-axis robot segments.

While China continues to import high-end components from Japan, South Korea, and Germany, it is rapidly expanding its finished robot exports to emerging manufacturing hubs like Vietnam and India. The industry is diversifying beyond automotive and electronics into battery, new energy, and food sectors.

In response to this growth, the 30th World-OKTA Conference was held in Shenzhen to foster economic cooperation between South Korean and Chinese enterprises. During the event, AI and robotics firm UBTECH presented its progress in humanoid robot commercialization. The conference aims to leverage China's manufacturing base and South Korea's technological competitiveness to explore new markets, including joint ventures for third-country expansion.