China showcases AI innovation at key expo

Inside a service robotics exhibition hall at the Canton Fair complex in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, an intelligent amphibious spherical robot is demonstrating its abilities, detecting obstacles on its way.

The spherical robot, along with more service robots such as a high-altitude cleaning robot, mowing robot and orthopedic surgical robot, was among the hot items displayed by Chinese companies during the China Import and Export Fair, popularly known as the Canton Fair.

Widely seen as a barometer of China's foreign trade, the fair kicked off its 138th session on Oct 15, with the organizers again putting in place a service robotics zone to comprehensively display the country's development in the service robotics sector.

"The development speed of the robotics industry, especially in the service area, surpasses any previous industry," said Duan Tianye, deputy general manager of Luoteng (Hangzhou) Science and Technology Co.

After displaying its intelligent amphibious spherical robots for the first time in the previous session of the fair, the company, based in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province, secured a number of orders from overseas buyers, Duan said.

"Whether it's the maturity of technology, the pace of evolution, the stability of products, the implementation of real-world application scenarios or the formation of a commercial closed loop, all these aspects are advancing much faster than in any other industry we have experienced before," said Duan.

The company's Rotunbot intelligent amphibious spherical robots have been put into use by multiple domestic public security bureaus, armed police forces, airports and petrochemical industrial parks.

The Rotunbot is the only amphibious intelligent robot capable of executing a variety of unmanned tasks over prolonged periods in non-friendly and critical environments such as airports, underground utility tunnels, and energy and chemical industries.

Like Rotunbot, a wide range of robotic products that combine technological foresight with mature commercial applications were showcased during the fair's first phase, demonstrating how AI innovation is rapidly bridging the last mile to real-world applications.

"By displaying our latest products, we want to know better about the needs of overseas customers, thereby promoting product iteration and upgrades," said Li Jiaxian, brand manager of Dobot Robotics, based in Shenzhen, Guangdong.

The company has experienced explosive growth in the commercial services sector this year, with related business revenue surging by 165.5 percent year-on-year in the first half, Li said.

Dobot, best known for its collaborative robots that have been sold to over 100 countries and regions worldwide, showcased fascia massage robots, smart moxibustion robots and coffee robots.

"The intelligent therapy robot is equipped with our self-developed robotic arm and high-precision force control technology, ensuring smooth and precise movements," said Li.

The therapy robot is suitable for various settings such as traditional Chinese medicine clinics, nursing homes and sports rehabilitation, Li said.

"Additionally, our coffee robot has been successfully deployed at several transportation hubs and popular attractions."

China's robotics industry has experienced explosive growth over the past few years, with the number of industrial robots in operation in the country exceeding 2 million units by 2024, according to a report released by the International Federation of Robotics.

The development of the sector is part of the country's drive to cultivate new quality productive forces.

"By displaying our star products such as intelligent flexible robotic arms and commercial cleaning robots during the fair, we have developed strong confidence in the overseas market," said Gong Ziyu, robotics division director of Guangzhou Shiyuan Electronic Technology Co Ltd.

Citing the company's commercial cleaning robot, which uses a self-developed algorithm to navigate through different spaces for cleaning, Gong said the company's products have been sold to countries including Singapore, Germany, the United Kingdom and Poland.

"On the first day of the Canton Fair, buyers from the Middle East and Europe already came to discuss orders, and many arranged to visit our factory in person," said Gong.

The company's overseas sales reached 5.4 billion yuan ($760.58 million) in 2024, Gong said.

In addition to service robotics, intelligent and green industrial and commercial products with innovative designs have become hot items for overseas buyers visiting the fair, according to the event's organizers.

In just a few days, the bustling throng of visitors in front of the exhibition booths have continued to effectively translate into an increase in export orders and a long-term partnership with overseas buyers during the fair's second phase, which concluded on Oct 27.

Each session of the fair, held twice a year in spring and autumn, respectively, includes three phases, focusing on different categories of export-oriented products.

As of Oct 27, nearly 240,000 overseas buyers from 223 countries and regions attended the fair, marking a 6.8 percent increase compared to the same period of the previous session, according to the organizers.

Intelligent and innovative products were still favorites with overseas buyers during the fair's second phase, which focused on traditional industries such as ceramics, furniture and daily necessities.

"Foreign buyers have expressed a stronger willingness to place orders," said Guo Guiping, deputy general manager of Xingye Ceramics Co, which is based in Chaozhou, a major base of ceramics in eastern Guangdong.

In the past sessions, some buyers were under significant inventory pressure and were not strongly motivated to place orders for new products, often adopting a wait-and-see attitude, Guo said.

"One Turkish client, whom we've known for several years, showed a very clear intention to place orders this time and expressed great interest in our new products," said Guo.

Leveraging the fair's online and offline platform, Youngy Health Technology, a subsidiary of Youngy Group, a large investment holding group focusing on industrial operation, high-tech development and financial investment, has received several intent orders from core customers in major markets such as Europe, the United States and Australia.

"New orders from overseas buyers have helped further solidify the market-leading position in the health consumption sector," said Nie Xiaoyan, overseas marketing director of Youngy Health Technology.

The company showcased a lineup of seven new products, including far-infrared therapy and phototherapy equipment at the fair's second phase, demonstrating its strength and achievements in the healthcare technology field.

The company's new products presented the latest solutions in China's health manufacturing, leading a new trend in green and intelligent manufacturing in the health sector, Nie said.

In terms of intelligent manufacturing and the application of new technologies, the company has adopted various digital smart devices in production, which have not only improved manufacturing efficiency, but also increased wood utilization rates and reduced energy consumption.

For example, the company's far-infrared therapy products are equipped with an intelligent control system that allows the system to operate automatically based on user-set temperature and duration.

The health management system, which is currently under development, will leverage advanced technologies such as big data and AI to automatically tailor the temperature and therapy duration of heat and light therapy according to individual health conditions.

With its products passing stringent international quality tests and entering large retail chains such as Costco and Sam's Club, the overseas market has become crucial for the company, Nie said.

In addition to developed markets, emerging ones such as the Middle East and Southeast Asia will be key for its future business growth, Nie said.

"New intelligent products with better after-sales service and high quality have become core competitiveness in overseas markets," said Nie.

In the first nine months of this year, Youngy Health achieved significant growth in both sales and profit, setting a record for the company's performance, Nie said.

"We are also increasing efforts to expand in the domestic market, focusing on high-end consumer groups and catering to customized needs, aiming to penetrate the domestic high-end health therapy market with high-quality products," she said.