Beijing has revealed a new initiative to invest 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) in a robotics fund. This move is part of a larger strategy aimed at positioning the city as a leading international hub for the robotics industry.
The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology clarified that the fund will be channeled towards nurturing new innovations, driving commercial advancements, and supporting local company mergers and acquisitions in the robotics domain.
In addition, the Beijing administration intends to utilize this fund to bolster the establishment of a comprehensive robotics supply chain within the city. Financial support will be provided to companies, with subsidies reaching up to 30 million yuan ($4 million). The funds will assist companies in procuring critical components such as semiconductors and operating systems. Moreover, it will facilitate the establishment of infrastructure necessary for research and development activities, prototyping, and the automation of robot manufacturing processes.
The city’s technology promotion agency has disclosed an initial commitment of 2 billion yuan ($274 million) from the Beijing municipal government towards this robotics initiative.
Recent actions underline China's growing emphasis on its robotics sector. The "Robot + Application Action Plan", introduced earlier this year by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and several other agencies, identifies ten sectors targeted for automation. These sectors span manufacturing, agriculture, logistics, healthcare, and more.
By 2025, China aspires to achieve a ratio of 500 robots for every 10,000 workers. The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) data illustrates China's rapid advancements in the robotics domain. In 2021 alone, China recorded 243,300 industrial robotics installations, marking a 44% rise compared to the previous year. This robust growth propelled China from the ninth position in 2020 to the fifth position in 2021 concerning global robot density, surpassing several countries including the US.
Lastly, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has delineated its vision for the robotics industry in its 14th five-year plan, presented in December 2021. The plan outlines multiple objectives for the robotics sector leading up to 2025, with a primary aim of establishing China as a pivotal player in global robotics innovation.
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