US Media: "It's Almost Impossible to Produce Robots Without China!"

According to a recent report by The New York Times, China currently dominates the supply chain for humanoid robots and points out that "without China, it's almost impossible to produce robots."

As reported by The New York Times, Chinese companies leverage their domestic electric vehicle industry to manufacture robot components, achieving scale, speed, and price competitiveness unmatched by other countries.

The leading Chinese humanoid robotics company, Unitree Robotics, produces thousands of humanoid robots at a unit price of less than $5,000. Components such as sensors and joints—previously reliant on overseas suppliers like Japan—are now directly manufactured in China.

"Today, it's nearly impossible to build humanoid robots without components from Chinese companies," said the head of the automotive and industrial sector for Bank of America Global Research in Greater China. "The pace at which Chinese component prices are declining is so rapid that other countries simply cannot compete."

The New York Times notes that China has established a dominant advantage in "factory automation," a profitable segment within the robotics industry. In 2024, over 2 million robots were deployed in Chinese factories, with an additional 300,000 planned for installation. This number exceeds the total combined count of industrial robots in factories worldwide outside of China. The New York Times reports that after China, the installation volumes of industrial robots in major markets such as Japan, the United States, South Korea, and Germany are all declining.

The New York Times analysis suggests that China’s leadership in manufacturing robots capable of moving and acting like humans is closely tied to the rise of its electric vehicle industry. Through decades of investment and a strategic focus on domestic production of virtually all components, China has become the world’s largest exporter of electric vehicles.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1870508675755017/

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