How humanoids and robots could sustain China’s dominance in global manufacturing

The country has captured incremental market share of 50% globally in industrial robot-related segments

    • Chinese manufacturers produced about 90% of the humanoid robots that were installed globally in 2025, data shows.
    • Chinese manufacturers produced about 90% of the humanoid robots that were installed globally in 2025, data shows. PHOTO: EPA
    Published Tue, Jun 30, 2026 · 01:44 PM

    A DECADE ago, few would have taken seriously the notion that China would dominate the global auto industry. But today, China is widely acknowledged as the leader, producing more than half of the electric vehicles sold worldwide.

    China has also overtaken Germany and Japan to become the world’s largest auto exporter.

    This dominance is replicated across a broad swathe of industries. China has a market share of 47 per cent of global battery exports, 43 per cent of mobile phones and 36 per cent of semiconductor components, just to name a few.