英媒：国产机器人助力中国全球出口激增

Group 1 - Chinese domestic robot manufacturers are driving a wave of low-cost automation, enabling factories to produce more goods at lower prices, thus increasing China's share in global exports, even in labor-intensive products [1] - The International Federation of Robotics reports that China installs approximately 280,000 industrial robots annually, accounting for half of the global new installations, leading to a robot density that surpasses Germany and approaches that of South Korea [1] - About half of the robots installed in China each year are produced by local companies, which offer robots at prices significantly lower than global competitors, with some products priced at around 60% of those from the "big four" industrial robot manufacturers [1] Group 2 - Economists suggest that China's extensive automation efforts may explain the unusual phenomenon of increasing global export shares in labor-intensive industries despite rising wages, contrasting with Western trends [2] - From 2019 to 2023, China's global export share in various labor-intensive sectors has increased, with notable rises in small manufactured goods (up 9 percentage points to 52.3%), furniture (up 1.5 percentage points), and toys (from 54.3% to 56.9%) [2] Group 3 - In a factory in Sichuan, the use of domestic welding robots has halved labor costs and improved efficiency, with about half of the production lines automated over the past three years [3] - The factory is now exporting more electric tricycles priced around 6,000 yuan, showcasing the shift from reliance on cheap labor to efficient robotics for maintaining manufacturing dominance [3] - The Chinese government aims to upskill blue-collar workers to transition into the expanding "purple-collar" workforce, proficient in operating and maintaining smart devices [3] Group 4 - In Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, a textile company has adopted large-scale printing and embroidery equipment to replace manual labor, resulting in doubled production capacity and increased profit margins [4] - The use of domestic automation machinery in China contrasts with manual labor practices in countries like India, highlighting the competitive advantage gained through automation [4]