Robots become China's new standout performer in foreign trade

In east China's Shanghai municipality, robots are no longer just laboratory innovations - they have become one of China's newest standout performers in foreign trade, and are in ramped up shipment overseas, largely to developed economies.

Overseas, Chinese robots have become synonymous with efficient production. China-made handling robots excel in service and construction industries, while maturely engineered cleaning robots are gaining traction in households worldwide.

At one of Shanghai's "little giant" robotic tech firms, its lab tests the latest humanoid robots. Its lineup spanning delivery, cleaning and humanoid robots operates in over 70 other countries and regions globally.

"Overseas revenue accounts for over half of our total revenue. Our key markets lie in developed economies including Europe, the U.S., Japan and South Korea. We lead the global service robot sector with more than 20 percent of the market share, with our food delivery robots holding over 40 percent. Our diversified export portfolio benefits from Shanghai's smart tech industrial cluster, robust supply chains and geographic strengths, as well as our proprietary technology backed by over 1,100 patents. We prioritize localized R and D tailored to overseas demands: compact, user-friendly robot designs for Asia, and more tech-focused aesthetics for Europe and the U.S. We aim not only to go global, but to integrate our robots into the daily lives of users worldwide," said Wan Bin, Chief Operating Officer, Keenon Robotics.

At Yangshan Port in Shanghai, Chinese-built robots are being shipped to Southeast Asia, Europe and North America.

Shanghai Customs data show robot exports through the Shanghai Port hit over 8.3 billion yuan in (1.23 billion U.S. dollars) the first five months of 2026, representing 42.5 percent of China's national total and topping all ports. Cleaning robots dominate exports with over 70 percent of the total. Smart bionic robots registered 120 million yuan (17.7 million U.S. dollars) in exports, kicking off the first global commercial wave of lab-born embodied intelligence.

"China switched from a net importer to a net exporter of industrial robots in 2025, a shift clearly visible at ports. Vessel declarations show a marked rise in outbound containers. At Nangang Terminal, exports of robots and smart equipment have surged, far outstripping imports. This highlights high-value, tech-intensive domestic smart manufacturing goods emerging as a new pillar of China's foreign trade. Amid this boom in high-end smart manufacturing exports, Shanghai Border Inspection authorities are adopting efficient, smart border control to balance security and operational efficiency," said Wang Jing, Deputy Captain of Duty Team 1, the Shanghai Yangshan Border Inspection Station.

Recently, China's AGIBOT's G2 robot has got the CE certification in the EU and access approvals in the U.S. Unitree Robotics opens its ecosystem for overseas users' further development. Overseas expansion of Chinese robots goes beyond mere product sales, evolving into deep ecological cooperation.

"We are speeding up development of embodied intelligence and humanoid robots adapted for overseas demand. We cooperate with overseas companies such as KT, SoftBank and Hyundai. Going forward, we will boost global adoption of Chinese-made robots," Wan said.

Robots become China's new standout performer in foreign trade

China's investment in rural road construction totaled 144.3 billion yuan (around 21.31 billion U.S. dollars) in the first half of this year, said the Ministry of Transport on Wednesday.

The investment is part of broader efforts to expand and upgrade the rural road network, as China is pushing to transit rural roads from "accessibility" to "quality improvement."

In northwest China's Qinghai Province, a highway project connecting Daotanghe Town in Gonghe County to the Qinghai Lake scenic area is nearing completion, with workers racing to finish road markings and install traffic signs.

The new highway, which is set to open by the end of this month, will link two towns and three villages along the way, benefiting more than 6,000 residents.

"The road will fill the gaps in the county's rural transport network and ease traffic pressure around the Qinghai Lake. It will also boost rural tourism along the route, including homestays and farm-stay businesses, expanding the channels for local farmers' and herders to earn more," said Li Debiao, deputy head of the Gonghe County Transport Bureau.

In Tongjiang County, southwest China's Sichuan Province, construction workers are repairing damaged road surfaces and clogged drainage systems, while improving guardrails and traffic signs.

The 130-kilometer upgrade project in Tongjiang is expected to be fully finished by the end of November.

"The road used to be out of repair for years and full of potholes, especially in rainy days. It was hard for us even to go to the market. Now with the road fixed, it will be much easier for us to travel and sell our local products. It has really solved a big problem in our daily life and production," said Fu Deliang, a villager of Longzhuanping in the county.

Official data showed that in the first half of the year, China built or upgraded 34,000 kilometers of rural roads, carried out safety barrier projects on 21,000 kilometers of rural roads, and renovated over 1,570 dilapidated bridges.

The ministry also promoted work-relief programs in rural road projects, creating jobs for local residents.

A total of 806 such projects were carried out across the country in the first half of the year, generating 120 million yuan (around 17.72 million U.S. dollars) in labor income and employing 14,000 rural workers, including over 3,000 people who have been lifted out of poverty.

Investment in rural roads totals 144.3 bln yuan in H1