The need for greater environmental protection has been highlighted at this year's ongoing sardine run in South Africa, with activists warning of the risks posed to one of the country's great natural phenomena.
Every year from May to July, millions of sardines migrate along the eastern coast of South Africa, traveling over 1,000 kilometers, making it one of the largest and most spectacular migrations in the world.
The annual event is a source of great pride and excitement for people living in coastal areas of the KwaZulu-Natal Province.
"We are excited that the fish is here in the sardine run for 2025. We are happy for this fish coming to South Africa and for KZN (KwaZulu-Natal)," said a local fisherman.
However, residents and environmental volunteers are taking action to alleviate the burden on the sea caused by human activity, including plastic waste and pollution, with volunteers hitting beaches to clear away the litter.
"It's one of the last massive migrations of animals that exist. It's really important, and hundreds and hundreds of species rely on that migration, maybe not on the sardines themselves, but on what comes with them. The human impact on the ocean threatens the water temperatures and things like that, and threatens to change the natural phenomena. Don't leave your stuff there, it all ends up in the oceans. [Cleaning the beach] is probably the biggest thing we can do to try and help this and sustain it," said Gary Snodgrass, owner of the Blue Ocean Dive Resort, a popular tourist site offering activities in the area.
Last Thursday, South Africa unveiled its inaugural Coastal Climate Change Adaptation Response Plan, a strategic initiative to enhance resilience in coastal areas facing climate threats. The initiative aims to support the country's ocean economy goals while safeguarding critical sectors like tourism and fisheries.
Environmental protection highlighted at annual sardine run in South Africa
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
