China’s Robot Race Accelerates as State and Firms Bet on Survival

In April, a robot half marathon in China brought renewed attention to the country’s robotics push. Media coverage focused on the winning robot breaking a human world record, but the original article placed more weight on two facts revealed by the event than on the record itself. The question of why China, despite relatively low labor costs, is so committed to robots is not just about cutting expenses. It is tied to survival strategies for both the state and companies. Robots are becoming a factor that can shape productivity in manufacturing and services, technological competitiveness, and control of future industries. China’s robotics drive signals an industrial shift in which cheap labor alone is no longer enough. Source: mk.co.kr