New tariff code reflects China's robotics export boom

Cleaning robots have received a dedicated customs tariff code this year, reflecting the rapid expansion of China's robotics sector, which has become a key driver in the country's evolving export landscape.

At a factory in Wuzhong District of Suzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province, a batch of robotic vacuum cleaners destined for Europe was undergoing customs inspection. A newly added tariff code has given the product a clearer "identity card," simplifying compliance and customs clearance.

"This is the newly added tariff code for cleaning robots. With this, product classification becomes more precise, which greatly helps enterprises with compliance declaration and streamlines customs procedures," said Liang Hu, deputy section chief of the Inspection and Quarantine Section II at Suzhou Customs Office in Wuzhong District.

Behind the code lies a fast-growing export category. At a newly launched factory in Suzhou, production orders for cleaning robots have been booked through December, with half coming from overseas markets.

Innovation speed is key to the sector's growth. Along an 8-kilometer customized bus route in Wuzhong District, engineers from suppliers of radar, sensors, shells and other components work together daily on smart navigation and low-power operation for new-generation cleaning robots.

"Our project cycle has been shortened from nine months to as fast as six months. We've moved from releasing one generation of products per year to now being able to rapidly iterate and launch two core generations annually," said Wu Qi, global product director of Suzhou-headquartered Ecovacs Robotics.

In Wuzhong District, more than 1,600 robotics and smart manufacturing companies have clustered around leading robot manufacturers. The supply chain radius has been reduced to under 10 kilometers, boosting industrial competitiveness.

"We have been attracting and connecting with upstream and downstream companies, including laser radar, sensor and core motor suppliers, around the cleaning robot industry. The supply chain radius has been effectively shortened to within 10 kilometers, further strengthening the industry's competitiveness," said Li Si, director of the Industrial Development Bureau of Suzhou Wuzhong Economic and Technological Development Zone.

The surge is not limited to cleaning robots. In the first half of the year, China exported 18.09 billion yuan worth of cleaning and intelligent bionic robots.

At the same time, China's exports of industrial robots reached 6.29 billion yuan, an increase of 18.6 percent, and they were sold to 141 countries and regions worldwide.

Exports of surgical robots reached 480 million yuan, a 3.3-fold increase, with the number of export destinations rising from 23 in the same period of last year to 49 now.

New tariff code reflects China's robotics export boom

New tariff code reflects China's robotics export boom

New tariff code reflects China's robotics export boom

New tariff code reflects China's robotics export boom

Thai exporters are leveraging this year's China International Import Expo (CIIE) to seek new opportunities in China as innovation and shifting consumer demand reshape how Thailand's traditional agricultural products are grown, produced and brought to market.

For generations, families in Thailand have made a living from coconut palms, harvesting the fruit by hand and shipping it far beyond the orchards where it is grown.

Natthasak Manusrungsri's family has been exporting aromatic coconuts for more than two decades. But growing demand from China has transformed the scale of their business, driving production, expanding exports and inspiring new ways to bring this familiar fruit to consumers.

"Almost every factory that packs fresh coconuts depends on China as its main market, almost entirely. After Thailand received permission to export coconuts to China, volumes kept rising, driven by trends and by customers becoming more knowledgeable and health-conscious," said Natthasak Manusrungsri, managing director of K-Fresh Co.

But as demand grows, so does the pressure to innovate. Generations of agricultural knowledge are meeting a new generation of ideas.

For Thai producers, China offers enormous opportunities, but competition is intensifying. As consumer preferences change, exporters are shifting their focus beyond simply increasing sales to developing innovative products that offer greater convenience and bring more value to an increasingly competitive industry.

That transformation begins long before the coconuts leave the trees. Across a network of plantations, precision agriculture is helping farmers monitor growing conditions, identify problem areas, and improve yields, while maintaining the quality of Thailand's renowned coconuts.

Inside the factory, innovation takes a different form. Even the simple act of opening a coconut has been redesigned. A patented mechanism allows consumers to open it with a push.

"Innovation matters for both the farm and production, so we can deliver the highest quality to our customers. So, we practice precision agriculture. And in the factory, we focus on innovation to make it easier for consumers to open and enjoy, bringing quality products to consumers around the world and in China," said Manusrungsri.

For the farmers who tend these palms, the rhythm of life remains much as it has for generations. But beyond the orchards, almost everything else is changing.

And at CIIE 2026, Thailand's humble coconut is showing how an age-old harvest can find new value in a world of changing tastes and possibilities.

Thai coconut exporter taps CIIE to promote industry innovation