Shanghai Backs Humanoid Robotics with New Policies and Industry Push

Shanghai is accelerating its support for humanoid robotics, hosting a major industry conference and skills competition as part of its broader push into embodied intelligence.

Credit: Wency Chen

The Embodied Intelligence Developer Conference took place Thursday in Zhangjiang, Shanghai’s hi-tech zone, featuring forums, corporate exhibits, and a humanoid robotics skills contest. University students competed using robots in tasks ranging from soccer matches to industrial, household, and commercial applications.

Wu Jincheng, Deputy Secretary General of the Shanghai municipal government and Pudong district chief, said the city would increase support in technology commercialisation, real-world applications, market promotion, and government procurement.

“Our robots must be able to listen, understand, and perform tasks, empowering industries and entering millions of households,” Wu said at the event’s opening ceremony.

Wu also outlined policy support measures, including funding, open-source data access, industry cluster development, start-up spaces, and housing incentives for talent.

At a media briefing on Wednesday, Zhangjiang Group General Manager Chen Weiwei said Shanghai accounts for one-third of China’s robotics industry. Pudong district alone is home to more than 100 robotics companies.

Chen highlighted the Zhangjiang Robot Valley project, launched in 2020, which spans 4.2 square kilometres.

Shanghai is home to several robotics firms, including Agibot, Fourier, Kepler Robotics, and DroidUp, as well as the National and Local Humanoid Robotics Innovation Centre. The centre is backed by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Shanghai government.

In April, Shanghai State-owned Capital Investment and Pudong district launched a dedicated embodied intelligence fund with a target of 1 billion yuan (USD 138.9 million).

China has identified frontier technologies like humanoid robotics as key drivers of future economic growth. The term “embodied intelligence” appeared for the first time in this year’s Government Work Report.

Credit: Wency Chen

President Xi Jinping has shown repeated interest in the sector. In February, he met Wang Xingxing, founder of Unitree Robotics, and earlier this month reviewed Agibot’s products during a visit to Shanghai.

Local governments across China are also promoting the sector. In April, Beijing held a half-marathon featuring humanoid robots, while Wuxi in Jiangsu province hosted its own robotics games.

Thursday’s competition in Shanghai focused on practical skills. Despite the slogan “The Future is Here,” some robots struggled with tasks. Remote-controlled robots often kicked soccer balls out of bounds, robotic arms had difficulty folding clothes, and human help was needed in industrial scenarios.

“Competing here allows us to keep an eye on industry advancements that we can’t typically access on campus,” said Chen Tianrui, a second-year student from Tongji University.

Yang Zhiyu, his teammate, called humanoid robotics a promising interdisciplinary field involving algorithms, materials science, battery technology, and kinematics.

A February report by Morgan Stanley stated that China leads the world in the scale of its humanoid robot industry. Of 100 publicly traded companies involved in humanoid development, 56% are based in China.

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• Shanghai hosted a major embodied intelligence conference and robotics competition

• City officials pledged increased policy support, funding, and talent incentives

• Pudong district is home to over 100 robotics firms

Source: SCMP