As China’s population falls, 300,000-strong robot army keeps factories humming
The country leads the world in newly installed industrial robots, far ahead of Japan and the US
China’s factories welcomed 295,000 newly installed industrial robots last year, easing fears the nation’s manufacturing juggernaut could falter after the population declined for a third consecutive year.
More than half of the world’s 542,000 new robots were installed in Chinese factories in 2024, according to the September report. The machines weld car frames, assemble electronic devices and move heavy loads with precision, filling labour gaps caused by the demographic shift.
“It’s an inevitable trend that more simple, repetitive tasks will be done by robots in the future, though some creative and complex tasks still require human ingenuity,” said Professor Gao Xudong from Tsinghua University’s School of Economics and Management.
“Despite the shrinking overall population, with improvements in workforce education and the widespread use of robots, China’s manufacturing industry has no problem in maintaining and enhancing its competitive edge,” he added.
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China’s population fell by about 0.1 per cent last year, according to government data. But robot installations during the same period rose by 5 per cent to 295,000 units, accounting for 54 per cent of new industrial robots worldwide, according to the IFR report.
Japan followed China with 44,500 new installations, while the United States ranked third with 34,200. Total installations globally rose by 9 per cent to 4.664 million in 2024.