A humanoid robot pouring a glass of water, a spherical robot moving and stopping precisely at any point, and an artificial intelligence-powered robotic dog that climbs steep slopes and bows for photos represent just a small sampling of innovative, advanced robots drawing huge attention at the 138th Canton Fair. For the second time the Fair has provided a service robot zone, which has this year gathered 46 leading service robot companies to showcase cutting-edge products. “China has become a leading force in the robotics industry. I am impressed by the variety and quality of these robots. There are several products that I think will be welcomed in Middle East countries, and we have started discussions with Chinese companies,” said Muntasar Albeshaier, a buyer from Saudi Arabia. He was particularly intrigued by a massage robot produced by DOBOT, a world-leading collaborative robot company based in Guangdong’s Shenzhen, one of the nation’s innovation hubs. This year, DOBOT has also brought a coffee-making automaton that has achieved full-process automation.
A recent report by the International Federation of Robotics, a Frankfurt-based nonprofit organization, shows that China had over 2 million industrial robots in operation by the end of 2024, ranking first globally. Chinese robots, the report notes, are demonstrating broad application prospects in fields such as automobiles, electronics, metal machinery, household services, medicine and education, gradually moving from laboratories to factory production lines, and then into the homes of people in countries around the world. A robotic dog produced by CVTE, a high-tech company focused on interactive displays and AI, has been widely photographed at the fair. Empowered by the company’s self-developed AI algorithms, the robotic dog can climb slopes of up to 35 degrees with ease, and can operate smoothly on grass, gravel and sand surfaces. Founded in 2005 in Guangzhou, CVTE started its business by making mainboards for televisions and then moved to interactive display screens. Its research team accumulated experience in algorithm development, which has allowed the company to grasp its opportunity in the robotics industry.
China’s robotics sector generated nearly CNY240 billion in revenue in 2024, and in the first half of 2025, industrial robot production in the country reached 370,000 units. The Chinese robotics industry is clearly seeing robust growth both in revenue and application. Chinese robots are also showing increasing potential in medical applications. During the fair, the Yuanhua Tech booth has attracted foreign buyers watching a robotic arm make precise surgical cuts on a mannequin, following the commands of an operator. Li Aili, Founder and Chairman of Yuanhua Tech, said that the company’s surgical robots have performed thousands of surgeries in hospitals across the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, the China Daily reports.
