China hopes more people will use the Chinese language as a bridge to understand China and the world, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Friday, in marking the 16th United Nations Chinese Language Day which falls on Sunday
Speaking at a press conference in Beijing, Lin Jian, the spokesman, extended congratulation on the 16th UN Chinese Language Day, noting that the holding of a series of events at the UN New York headquarters, the UN Office in Geneva and the UN Office at Vienna has not only reflected the cultural heritage embodied in the Chinese language, but also highlighted the wisdom and values of Chinese civilization.
"The widespread use of the Chinese language in multinational platforms including the UN is an epitome of China's increasingly deepening cooperation with the UN Since China put the first character of its signature on the UN Charter with a Chinese writing brush 80 years ago, China has all along upheld the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, maintained the United Nations-centered international system, and supported the UN in playing an important role in international peace and development affairs, in deepening cultural exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and in promoting peace and development of the world," Lin said.
"Delicious soup is made by combining different ingredients. The Chinese language is a carrier that transcends through time and serves as a bridge to the future. We hope more people can use the Chinese language as a bridge to understand China and the world, and we are ready to work with all other countries to solve confrontation through dialogue, settle differences with an inclusive mind, jointly build a community of shared future for mankind, and usher in a new chapter for all countries to prosper respectively and together through mutual learning," he said.
The UN's Language Day, introduced in 2010, is intended to promote multilingualism and cultural diversity, ensuring equal use of the six official UN languages -- Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
The Chinese Language Day is celebrated on April 20, around the time of Guyu (Rain of Millet), the sixth of the 24 solar terms in the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar. This date honors Cangjie, the legendary figure believed to have invented Chinese characters.
China expects more people to use Chinese language as bridge to understand China, world: spokesman
From cutting-edge technology exhibitions to retail stores thousands of kilometers away from Europe and Southeast Asia, China-made robot vacuum cleaners are increasingly becoming a popular choice among consumers worldwide.
At electronics retailers in Berlin, Germany, Chinese brands such as Roborock and Dreame occupy prominent positions in dedicated robot vacuum sections, offering a wide range of products priced between 200 and 2,000 euros.
Many local consumers said that when purchasing smart home appliances including robot vacuum cleaners, they tend to give priority to Chinese-made products.
"It's a good price and good quality. It's also the innovation. I have a feeling that the European brands are not innovating enough," said one customer.
"I think they're always on top of the other technologies. They are getting them out faster. A lot of us are switching to the Chinese technology," another consumer said.
Germany is one of the most important overseas markets for China's floor-cleaning robots.
According to data from market research firm GfK, from January to November 2025, more than six out of 10 robot vacuum cleaners sold in Western Europe were Chinese brands.
Industry data also point to a strong global momentum.
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), global shipments of smart robot vacuum cleaners reached 17.424 million units in the first three quarters of 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 18.7 percent.
Chinese brands including Roborock, Ecovacs, Dreame, Xiaomi and Narwal ranked among the world's top five in terms of shipment volume, with a combined share of nearly 70 percent of the global market.
At a robot vacuum cleaner manufacturing plant in Huizhou, south China's Guangdong Province, workers were seen stepping up production of newly launched models that recently debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show in the United States, which concluded Friday in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The factory adjusted its production lines as early as December 2025 and stocked inventory in advance for overseas markets to ensure that new products could be delivered to global consumers at the earliest possible time.
"In 2025, Roborock's global shipments exceeded 7.2 million units. Since 2024, overseas revenue has accounted for more than 50 percent of our total revenue. Our products have now been sold to more than 170 countries and regions, serving more than 20 million households worldwide," said Quan Gang, president of Roborock.
At another robot vacuum cleaner manufacturing facility in Dongguan, Guangdong, rising overseas orders have prompted the company to upgrade its production lines with intelligent technologies to further boost capacity. The factory is currently operating at full load to meet a growing demand.
"For 2026, we have already obtained overseas orders worth at least 300 million to 400 million yuan (around 43 million to 57.3 million U.S. dollars). In addition, we've engaged in strategic cooperation with European home appliance group Cebos Group, and our total confirmed orders have exceeded 600 million yuan (around 86 million U.S. dollars)," said Zhang Junbin, founder and CEO of Narwal Robotics.
Chinese robot vacuum brands gain strong global traction
