The world's first retail cabin completely serviced by a robot opened in Beijing on Thursday, bringing drinks to curious customers eager to experience this new application of China's cutting-edge robotic technology.
Occupying a stall of 9 square meters, the robot salesclerk "Galbot" can complete all the necessary tasks to sell beverages -- receiving clients, placing orders, and fetching products. The robot can even interact with customers in different languages.
Currently, coffee and bottled drinks are provided in the cabin.
"This store can stay open round the clock without anyone attending to it," said Wen Ai'rong, vice president of Beijing Galaxy Bot, the maker of Galbot.
The cabin is expected to serve an average of 2,000 clients and 500 orders per day.
In the future, Galaxy Bot hopes to open more robot-operated cabins at major junctions and scenic areas in the city, as well as offer a more diverse selection of products.
World's first retail cabin operated fully by robot opens in Beijing
World's first retail cabin operated fully by robot opens in Beijing
China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao outlined the key priorities of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting, which opened on Friday in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province.
In an interview with CGTN ahead of the two-day meeting, Wang said free trade, digital cooperation and green economy are high on the agenda of the meeting.
"The key areas include advancing regional economic integration and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, supporting the World Trade Organization (WTO) in strengthening digital cooperation and developing green economy. At present, the international situation is marked by intertwined turbulence and chaos, with intensified geopolitical instability. The rise of unilateralism and protectionism poses serious challenges to the international economic and trade order, disrupting global and Asia-Pacific development. Against this backdrop, all parties have higher expectations for this trade ministers' meeting, hoping that it can build consensus and deliver outcomes," Wang said.
This year marks China's third time hosting the APEC meetings and the 35th anniversary of its membership.
By 2025, China had become the largest trading partner of 13 APEC economies. Trade between China and APEC economies reached 3.7 trillion U.S. dollars, accounting for 57.8 percent of China's total foreign trade.
China has signed 24 free trade agreements or economic and trade arrangements with 31 countries and regions, including 15 APEC economies. In recent years, China has also completed upgrades of free trade agreements with APEC economies such as Singapore and Peru.
The minister said that China has always been a firm supporter and an important contributor to APEC.
"We have actively shared our vast market and development opportunities with all parties. China's door to the world will only open wider and wider. Facing the common challenges, China will continue to fulfill its responsibilities as a major country, further deepen reform, expand high-standard opening-up, and continue to provide new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific region and the world with its new achievements in Chinese modernization," the minister said.
China's Commerce Minister outlines priorities for 32nd APEC trade ministers' meeting
