China Accounts for 97% of Global Humanoid Robot Exports and Manufacturing

Gasgoo Munich-The embodied intelligence sector is entering a phase of accelerated mass production, according to Jin Bing, a former deputy director at the State Post Bureau’s policy and regulations department. Speaking at the Aggregated Intelligent Industry Development Conference 2026 on September 9, Jin pointed to fresh data showing China now commands 97% of global humanoid robot exports and manufacturing.

Jin argues that China’s edge lies in mass production capabilities, a complete supply chain, and the ability to validate use cases. “Thanks to massive amounts of data, our iteration speed for embodied robots, drones, unmanned vehicles, and equipment is the fastest in the world — and so is our speed to mass production.”

Source: Screenshot from Deputy Director General Jin Bing's presentation

Global shipments of general-purpose humanoid robots are set to reach roughly 18,000 units in 2025 — a 508% surge year-over-year — while China is projected to ship 62,500 units domestically in 2026. Five Chinese companies — Unitree, AGIBOT, LEJU ROBOT, Booster Robotics, and UBTECH — together account for 74% of global humanoid robot shipments.

Looking at the industry’s timeline, Jin identifies 2025 and 2026 as the “dawn of mass production,” with 2027 through 2028 marking a shift toward large-scale penetration. While industrial manufacturing remains the primary application, sectors such as logistics and warehousing, public inspection, healthcare, and commercial services are already moving into batch verification.

Source: Screenshot from Deputy Director General Jin Bing's presentation

Still, China’s embodied intelligence sector faces gaps in high-end components and foundational software. Jin noted that high-end RV reducers, tactile electronic skin, high-sensitivity force sensors, dedicated computing chips for embodied AI, and underlying simulation ecosystems all require further breakthroughs.

In his view, the next phase of competition will not be limited to individual robot products. Instead, it will expand to integrate with unmanned equipment such as autonomous vehicles, drones, and unmanned boats — creating a coordinated system spanning models, communication and positioning, hardware modules, and task scheduling. He summarized China’s industrial path as one that “trades market scenarios for technology, uses mass production to lower costs, and leverages broader systems to patch specific gaps.”