China captures 97% of global humanoid robot shipments

BEIJING, August 11: China has strengthened its dominance in the global humanoid robotics industry, with Chinese companies accounting for more than 97 percent of worldwide humanoid robot shipments during the first half of 2026.

According to the Global Times, around 19,100 humanoid robots were shipped globally during the first six months of the year, marking a 272 percent increase compared with the same period last year. China also accounted for more than 85 percent of global demand, making it the world’s largest humanoid robot market.

Chinese robotics company AGIBOT overtook Unitree Robotics to become the world’s largest humanoid robot vendor during the first half of 2026. Unitree had ranked first globally in 2025 after shipping around 5,500 robots during the year.

China’s rapid rise in humanoid robotics has been supported by its extensive manufacturing base, integrated supply chains and large domestic market. Industry analysts said the localization of key robot components has also increased significantly, with some Chinese manufacturers sourcing more than 90 percent of their key components domestically.

China currently has more than 400 complete humanoid robot models, accounting for more than half of the global total. An economist cited by the Global Times said China could produce more than 100,000 humanoid robots this year, with production expected to grow further in the coming years.

China’s broader robot exports have also recorded strong growth. Official data showed that industrial robot exports reached 6.29 billion yuan in the first half of 2026, with products shipped to 141 countries and regions. Surgical robot exports increased 3.3 times year-on-year, while overall robot exports rose 359 percent.

AGIBOT, which has emerged as the leading humanoid robot vendor this year, produced its 15,000th embodied AI robot on June 28, less than three months after reaching the 10,000-unit milestone. Its robots are being used in computer, communication and consumer electronics manufacturing, warehousing and logistics, and commercial services.

The company aims to increase the share of overseas sales to more than 30 percent of its total sales in 2026, with the proportion potentially exceeding 50 percent in the future.

China’s rapid progress in humanoid robotics is closely linked to developments in artificial intelligence. Analysts said advances in AI, robotics, semiconductors, computing, commercial spaceflight, solid-state batteries and biomedicine are increasingly becoming key drivers of China’s next phase of industrial and export growth.

The development highlights China’s accelerating shift from traditional manufacturing towards technology-intensive industries, with robotics and artificial intelligence emerging as major components of its future industrial and export strategy.