The Hong Kong media delegation toured Estun Automation in Nanjing on March 23. The corporation, which was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in March 2026, became the first domestic industrial robot company to be dual-listed on the A-share and H-share markets. With independent R&D covering the entire industry chain, its Nanjing headquarters has an annual production capacity of 50,000 units.
The Hong Kong media delegation toured Estun Automation in Nanjing on March 23. Photo by Bastille Post
Estun’s automation business reaches worldwide. Photo by Bastille Post
Tech Monopoly Broken, Dual Listing Completed
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The Hong Kong media delegation toured Estun Automation in Nanjing on March 23. Photo by Bastille Post
Estun’s automation business reaches worldwide. Photo by Bastille Post
The products of Estun, Photo by Bastille Post
The docent introduces the production technology and products of Estun. Photo by Bastille Post
The robots produced by Estun, Photo by Bastille Post
Estun provides customized models for industries such as photovoltaics, sheet metal bending, and die casting, etc. Photo by Bastille Post
Estun's products, Photo by Bastille Post
According to the docent, Estun Automation was founded in Nanjing in 1993 and developed China’s first domestically produced AC servo drive in 2001, breaking the tech monopoly of Japanese and European brands. It launched its first industrial robot in 2010, went public on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2015, and followed with a listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange this March. To meet growing market demand, the corporation built a 180-acre intelligent robot industrial park, which was constructed in two phases and became fully operational in 2023.
The products of Estun, Photo by Bastille Post
Photo by Bastille Post
Photo by Bastille Post
The docent introduces the production technology and products of Estun. Photo by Bastille Post
Robots Making Robots: A 7-Minute Cycle Time on High-Load Production Lines
In terms of production technology, Estun adopts a modular assembly approach, with fully automated intelligent assembly lines in the workshops operated collaboratively by multiple robots. The docent explained that one assembly line, consisting of ten robots, is “China’s first assembly line for robots to produce robots”, integrating optical and big data technologies. The corporation's J3/J4 assembly line, designed for 1.2-ton heavy-duty robots, achieves a single-station cycle time of as fast as seven minutes. Before leaving the production factory, each robot must pass an extreme load test. If the consistency monitored by the system fails to meet the standards, the robot will never leave the factory.
The robots produced by Estun, Photo by Bastille Post
Photo by Bastille Post
Photo by Bastille Post
90% Photovoltaic Cells Market Share, Custom Industry Models
In terms of product line, Estun currently offers over 90 products with load capacities ranging from 3 kg to 1.2 tons. The corporation provides customized models for industries such as photovoltaics, sheet metal bending, and die casting, etc. Its photovoltaic layout robot has been recognized on the eighth batch of the Manufacturing Single-Item Champions list by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The docent specifically noted that 90% of the world’s photovoltaic cell factories use robots manufactured by Estun.
Estun provides customized models for industries such as photovoltaics, sheet metal bending, and die casting, etc. Photo by Bastille Post
Estun's products, Photo by Bastille Post
Photo by Bastille Post
Ready to Replace Humans? Humanoid Robots Get Workshop Tests
Estun has released two generations of humanoid robots, with the latest generation debuting in June 2025. Standing 1.7 meters tall and weighing 70 kilograms, it boasts 31 degrees of freedom and has received CE certification. The docent emphasized that the development of humanoid robots is primarily aimed at industrial applications instead of home use. Currently, the robot is undergoing field testing in the workshop and can perform tasks such as quality inspection, with the long-term goal of gradually replacing some workers on the production line, taking automation to the next level.
The Hong Kong media delegation gained a firsthand appreciation of the three Wuxi cultural signatures on March 27, touring a Huishan clay figurine workshop and a miniature embroidery studio during the day, and experiencing the cultural activities along the ancient canal in the evening.
The Hong Kong media delegation visited Huishan Ancient Town on March 27. Photo by Bastille Post
The delegation arrived at Huishan Ancient Town in the afternoon, beginning their visit at Yingyueli Historical Block, which is steeped in the cultural legacy of Erquan Yingyue ("The Moon's Reflection on the Second Spring"), linking the glamour of Xihui Mountains and the Grand Canal. As the main stage of the Wuxi Sub-venue of the 2025 CMG Spring Festival Gala, Yingyueli Historical Block is well-known for Baoshan Bridge and Xishan First Building among its most recognized filming locations. The delegation also strolled through Jichang Garden, one of the four famed gardens in Jiangnan that features artfully stacked rocks, serene ponds, and shaded ancient trees, in this national 5A-level scenic area. Moreover, the delegation visited the Second Spring under Heaven, appreciating the scenery of the courtyard complex of springs, pools, streams, and stone inscriptions from successive dynasties. Among them, the stone inscription personally inscribed by Zhao Mengfu of the Yuan Dynasty even remains intact today, spanning a historical legacy over a thousand years.
The delegation also strolled through Jichang Garden, one of the four famed gardens in Jiangnan that features artfully stacked rocks, serene ponds, and shaded ancient trees. Photo by Bastille Post
Photo by Bastille Post
The delegation then visited Sound Hall, a music and cultural landmark transformed from a century-old architecture. The venue integrates local soundscapes with musical art, hosting a variety of weekly performances that have made it a popular destination for music enthusiasts across the Yangtze River Delta region.
The delegation then visited Sound Hall, a music and cultural landmark transformed from a century-old architecture. Photo by Bastille Post
Huishan Clay Figurines: No Kiln, Centuries of Life
Huishan clay figurines are crafted from a local specialty, “Huishan black clay”, prized for its fine texture and exceptional hardness after air-drying—qualities that allow the figurines to last for centuries without kiln firing. Inside the workshop, a female inheritor with over 20 years of experience in producing clay figurines demonstrated the clay’s remarkable properties: After kneading, it leaves no fingerprints and can be bent 180 degrees without cracking. The entire process for making clay figurines uses only water and clay, with no additives. The brand director of the workshop, Ms. Bao Linjie, explained that in recent years, the brand has been actively exploring cultural and creative transformation. For instance, during the Year of the Horse, they launched a clay horse paired with cauliflower—a playful nod to the Chinese idiom “achieving immediate talent.” Another creation, a soccer ball with drums, was named “realizing goals immediately” in collaboration with the Wuxi Jiangsu Super League team. Both proved highly popular with customers.
Moreover, a clay figurine with the name of “Double Happiness” designed by a young inheritor became a hit after being selected as an ideal gift by an artist from Wuxi and has since sold out. Ms. Bao also revealed that the brand plans to leverage Hong Kong's geographical advantage as a springboard for overseas expansion, with hopes of collaborating with HK's local intangible cultural heritage crafts—such as Hong Kong-style Canton porcelain and neon lights—to create cultural and creative products. “We’ll see if we can create some collaborative handicrafts that are more suitable for sales in both regions." she said.
Huishan clay figurines are crafted from a local specialty, “Huishan black clay”. Photo by Bastille Post
Miniature Embroidery: Mistaken for Glass Painting—Art That Left Germany in Awe
Zhao Hongyu, a national-level inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, has been practicing embroidery since 1973 and has specialized in miniature embroidery for over 50 years.
According to her, double-sided miniature embroidery requires splitting a single silk strand into seventieths or eightieths of its original thickness to achieve the finest threads. When embroidering a face, she explains, “Even if it’s the size of a mung bean, all its features and expressions must be embroidered with extremely fine thread—and both sides must be identical.”
In 2009, she accompanied a delegation led by China’s then vice president to Germany, bringing ten national-level handicrafts. An elderly German man initially mistook the miniature embroidery for glass paintings. Upon closer inspection, he realized the works were meticulously stitched by hand, remarking that such things could never be made by machines.
Zhao Hongyu, a national-level inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, has been practicing embroidery since 1973 and has specialized in miniature embroidery for over 50 years. Photo by Bastille Post
Ms. Zhao noted that miniature embroidery is positioned at the level of spiritual consumption. “When material needs reach a certain level, spiritual needs arise.” she said. She believes the greatest challenge to passing on the craft is not merely patience, but artistic cultivation. “Skill alone is useless. To reach a high level, you must have cultivation, accumulation, and vision.”
Double-sided miniature embroidery requires splitting a single silk strand into seventieths or eightieths of its original thickness to achieve the finest threads. Photo by Bastille Post
She lamented that young people today have many choices. “Even courier services can make money. Who has the time to dedicate decades to honing their craft?” Her studio currently has only six embroiderers.
Ancient Canal: Live Performance Brings City’s Founding Legend to Life
As night fell, the media delegation boarded a boat to admire the Qingming Bridge section of the ancient canal, where several live performances unfolded along the way. The opening act, “Prosperous Rain and Mist”, featured a duet sung in the soft Wu dialect. Next came a play of light and shadow, recreating the legend of the founding of the Wu Kingdom. The final chapter, “Canal Dwellers”, painted a vivid picture of life along the bustling water lanes.
As night fell, the media delegation boarded a boat to admire the Qingming Bridge section of the ancient canal. Photo by Bastille Post
The Qingming Bridge section, the best-preserved part of the ancient canal, has been designated as a demonstration section for the Grand Canal’s World Heritage application. Here, young people in Hanfu are often seen pausing by the ancient bridges, with oil-paper umbrellas in hand. Stone paths, lamplight, and flowing water—all are part of the characteristic scene in Wuxi.
The final chapter, “Canal Dwellers,” painted a vivid picture of life along the bustling water lanes. Photo by Bastille Post
With such a flourishing culture, Wuxi’s traditions live on naturally. Perhaps this is the true essence of a city.
The play of light and shadow, recreated the legend of the founding of the Wu Kingdom. Photo by Bastille Post
