China’s Factory Robot Exports Surge as Supply Chains Shift Abroad

SHENZHEN/SINGAPORE/BEIJING – China’s exports of factory robots have surged as manufacturing shifts to South-east Asia and beyond, driven by trade tensions, rising costs and supply chain diversification. Shipments, including those from foreign firms producing in China, nearly tripled in value from 2020 to reach US$1.13 billion in 2024. In the first half of 2025 alone, exports hit US$746 million, up nearly 60 per cent year-on-year, with Vietnam, Mexico and Thailand as top destinations. Analysts say most exports are lower-end models for the automotive and electronics sectors. The trend offers Chinese robot-makers an opening in a market long dominated by Japanese and European rivals, as companies expanding overseas often bring their Chinese suppliers with them.