China's industrial upgrades accelerate as new growth drivers gain strength

Fostering industries of the future

While upgrading traditional sectors, China is accelerating the development of emerging industries that could shape future growth.

The rise of intelligent manufacturing is one example. In June, Chinese embodied AI company AGIBOT delivered its 15,000th embodied intelligence robot, only three months after reaching the 10,000-unit milestone. The rapid expansion reflects the growing commercialization of humanoid robots and AI technologies.

Data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology showed China has developed more than 400 complete humanoid robot products, accounting for over half of the world's total, highlighting the country's rapidly expanding presence in the robotics sector.

In the first half of the year, China-developed quadruped robots accounted for nearly 70 percent of global sales.

A series of technological breakthroughs has highlighted the momentum behind China's innovation-driven industries, including the first global mass production of T1200 ultra-high-strength carbon fiber and the release of the Kimi K3 open-source large model.

New growth engines, including advanced manufacturing, the digital economy and modern services, accounted for more than 40 percent of China's economic growth in the first half of the year, official data showed.

The next layer of China's industrial strength is also coming from smaller specialized firms. Output among national-level "little giant" enterprises, which focus on niche technologies and specialized manufacturing, increased 10.4 percent year-on-year. These companies are helping fill gaps in supply chains and strengthen China's industrial ecosystem.

Together, these trends point to a broader restructuring of China's industrial economy. Wang Guanhua, spokesperson for the National Bureau of Statistics, said China would continue to support the growth of emerging and future industries while upgrading traditional sectors, with the aim of ensuring a smooth transition from old sources of growth to new ones.