[By Guancha Observer Network, Xiong Chaoyi] "China's secret weapon in the trade war is an army of factory robots driven by artificial intelligence (AI), which has completely transformed manufacturing."
On April 23rd local time, Keith Bradsher, bureau chief of The New York Times Beijing Bureau, wrote a commentary article pointing out that despite U.S. President Trump's insistence on building high trade barriers, China's export goods remain competitive in price. Currently, factories across China are rapidly achieving automation at an extremely fast pace. As engineers and electricians begin to manage batches of robotic production lines, these operating models not only improve product quality but also reduce manufacturing costs.
Nowadays, the degree of automation in Chinese factories has surpassed that of the United States, Germany, or Japan. According to data from the International Federation of Robotics, except for Korea or Singapore, the number of factory robots per 10,000 manufacturing workers in China exceeds that of any other country.
Industrial arms are busy operating inside the body shop of the Zeekr factory. The New York Times
In his article, Bradsher first mentioned one of China's largest humanoid robot manufacturers, Cloudminds.
Hu Liang, founder and CEO of Cloudminds, said that China will make efforts to turn robotics into a brand-new industry. "The expectation for humanoid robots is to create another electric vehicle industry," he said, "so from this perspective, it is a national strategy."
Bradsher found during his visits that using robots for cutting and welding metal in small factories or even "roadside workshops" in many cities across China is very common, used to manufacture products such as ovens and barbecue equipment. In Guangzhou, Mr. Li, who owns a business with 11 employees, plans to spend about 300,000 yuan to purchase camera-equipped robotic arms from a Chinese company. This device can use AI technology to observe workers welding oven side panels and then reproduce the entire welding process with minimal human intervention.
Just four years ago, similar systems could only be purchased from foreign companies at more than three times the current price. "Before, I never thought about investing in automation," Mr. Li said, "a human worker can only work 8 hours a day, but machines can work 24 hours."
The article stated that on these automated production lines, Chinese factories still require manual quality inspections and the installation of wiring components that need fine handwork, as some processes are still beyond the capabilities of cameras and computers. For example, workers still carefully feel the car body with white gloves and sandpaper to eliminate every tiny defect before painting. However, with the development of AI technology, some later-stage quality inspection processes are gradually being automated.
At the end of the Geeker automobile assembly line, 12 high-definition cameras comprehensively photograph each finished vehicle. The computer compares these images with a vast database of standard assembly records. Once a deviation is detected, the production line personnel are immediately notified. The entire inspection process takes only a few seconds to complete.
"Now most of our colleagues' jobs are sitting in front of computer monitors," a Geeker employee described.
Many Chinese car manufacturers, including Geeker, are also utilizing AI technology to enhance the efficiency of car design and function development. In Geeker's new office building in Shanghai, designer Carrie Li is using AI to analyze the joint effects of different interior finishes. "Now I have more free time to explore creatively and consider what fashion elements can be incorporated into car interiors," she said.
Bradsher mentioned that American auto factories also adopt cases of automated production, but most of the equipment comes from China. Over the past 20 years, most newly built automobile assembly plants globally have concentrated in China, creating a complete automated supply chain.
In addition, Chinese companies have acquired advanced industrial robot suppliers such as Kuka of Germany and relocated their main operations to China. Last year's electric vehicle factory opened by Volkswagen in Hefei, Anhui Province, is proof—out of 1,075 robots in the factory, only one is from Germany, while the remaining 1,074 are produced in Shanghai.
The article argues that China's rapid advancement in factory automation technology is inseparable from top-down policy promotion, with robotics being one of the key areas of focus. The latest policy direction includes the government work report at this year's National Two Sessions, proposing to vigorously develop intelligent connected new energy vehicles, AI mobile phones and computers, intelligent robots, and other new-generation intelligent terminals as well as intelligent manufacturing equipment.
Over the past few years, China has not only invested a large amount of funds in projects but also annually cultivates about 350,000 mechanical engineering graduates from universities, along with electricians, welders, and other skilled technicians. By comparison, American universities produce only about 45,000 mechanical engineers annually.
Jonathan Hurst, Chief Robotics Officer and Co-founder of American robotics manufacturer Agility Robotics, candidly admitted that finding technical talent has always been one of the biggest challenges he faces. This expert, who once studied at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute in Pittsburgh, recalled that there were only two mechanical engineering students in his graduate program, and he was one of them.
In recent times, as the tariff trade war instigated by Trump intensifies, the U.S. not only disrupts the global political and economic situation but also inevitably "lifts a rock only to drop it on its own foot" in the robotics sector as well.
Bloomberg reported that the current uncertainty of tariff policies poses greater challenges for the U.S. in competing for dominance in the Sino-American robotics race. The report cited an institution's report stating that the key hardware for human-like robots is mostly produced in China; four out of five major suppliers of vision systems are Chinese companies; even leading American robotics companies still need to procure some materials from China.
Xiaomi robots from China easily handle balance beams and stumps. Video screenshot
An industry organization leader candidly admitted that even if some companies want to relocate manufacturing back to the U.S., there aren't even vendors locally to sell certain critical components; if they exist, the cost is much higher. Under high tariffs, if component prices skyrocket, these American robotics companies will also be affected.
Bloomberg pointed out that apart from benefiting from today's AI momentum, the development of the U.S. robotics industry also relies on the cost advantage brought by "Made in China." However, Trump almost changed the situation overnight. Besides cost, efficiency must also be considered. A chief executive of a robotics startup said that other countries might fill part of the supply chain gaps, but none possess the efficiency only China can provide.
Early April, following the U.S. government's unreasonable imposition of so-called "reciprocal tariffs" against China, China swiftly implemented countermeasures, including not only tariff measures but also export controls on seven categories of medium and heavy rare earth-related items, precisely retaliating.
The latest development is that Elon Musk, who played a significant role in the Trump administration, revealed during Tesla's first-quarter earnings conference call on April 22nd that the production of the company's humanoid robot, Optimus, had been affected by China's restrictions on the export of rare earth magnets. Musk said that China hoped Tesla would ensure that the rare earth magnets it obtained from China would not be used for military purposes.
Bloomberg pointed out that as one of the most prominent buyers of rare earth magnets so far, Tesla clearly highlighted the direct impact of this policy change by China.
Zhang Jian, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, has repeatedly emphasized that this tariff war was initiated by the U.S. side, and China's necessary countermeasures are to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests and international fairness and justice, which is entirely reasonable and legal.
Zhang Jian stressed that China's position has always been clear: there are no winners in a tariff war or a trade war. China does not want to fight, but it is not afraid to do so. If the U.S. genuinely wants to resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation, it should stop its extreme pressure tactics, stop threats and blackmail, and engage in dialogue with China on the basis of equality, respect, and mutual benefit.
This article is an exclusive contribution by the Guancha Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.
Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7496433892989059622/
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