**China Adds 295,000 Industrial Robots to Tackle Demographic Challenges**
*By Mudit Dube | Oct 06, 2025, 04:05 pm*
China’s manufacturing industry has defied concerns over its shrinking population by adding 295,000 new industrial robots in 2024. This significant development was highlighted in the 2025 International Federation of Robotics World Robotics Report. Despite a population loss of 1.39 million people this year, China now operates a record-breaking 2.027 million industrial robots — the largest fleet globally.
### Automation Surge: Robots Filling Labor Gaps
The 295,000 new robots installed in China account for more than half of the world’s 542,000 new robot installations. Chinese factories are leading the way in automation, employing these machines to perform tasks such as welding car frames, assembling electronics, and moving heavy loads with precision.
These robots play a crucial role in filling labor shortages caused by demographic changes in China, helping to sustain manufacturing output despite fewer available workers.
### Future Trends: Maintaining a Competitive Edge
Professor Gao Xudong from Tsinghua University’s School of Economics and Management notes that automating simple, repetitive tasks with robots is an inevitable trend. He emphasizes that, even with a shrinking population, advancements in workforce education combined with widespread use of robotics are enabling China to maintain its competitive edge in manufacturing.
### Market Growth: China Leads, Followed by Japan and the US
China’s addition of 295,000 robots in 2024 marks a 5% increase over the previous year. Japan and the United States follow with 44,500 and 34,200 new units installed respectively. Globally, the industrial robot market has grown by 9%, reaching a total of 4.664 million installed units worldwide.
### Industry Evolution: Humanoid Robots and Skilled Worker Shortages
The next phase of industrial transformation involves humanoid robots. In August 2025, Tiantai Robot, based in Guangdong, received an order for 10,000 humanoid robots — the largest in the industry’s history.
However, experts warn that by 2030, China could face a shortage of 50 million high-skilled blue-collar workers. These skilled workers will be essential to support the burgeoning intelligent industries, including the maintenance and operation of advanced robotic systems.
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China’s rapid expansion of industrial robotics demonstrates a strategic adaptation to demographic challenges, ensuring the continued strength and innovation of its manufacturing sector in the years ahead.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/science/china-adds-295-000-industrial-robots-in-2024-defying-demographic-challenges/story
