The World Robot Conference 2023 opened in Beijing as a week-long showcase that attracted more than 600 robotic products from over 160 participants, including both domestic and international companies. The event sent a clear signal that China’s robotics sector is thriving and expanding rapidly across multiple industries, with exhibitors displaying a broad range of technologies from industrial automation to consumer robotics.
Spanning six central forums alongside around 30 thematic sessions and a variety of support activities, the conference also featured the World Robot Fair 2023 and the World Robot Competition 2023. These components created a comprehensive platform for showcasing innovations, debating policy directions, and fostering business partnerships among researchers, engineers, and industry leaders.
Participants included nearly 320 international organizations, academicians, renowned experts, and business representatives from Turkey and other countries. They came to explore the latest trends and cutting-edge technologies shaping the robotics landscape, underscoring the event’s role as a global hub for exchange and collaboration in robotics research and development (R&D) and commercialization (Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economics and Information Technology).
Industry leaders emphasized ongoing breakthroughs in humanoid robotics and essential robotic components. By leveraging proof-of-concept centers and pilot test bases, the organizers aim to accelerate the industrialization and commercial adoption of scientific achievements that stand to benefit society and transform daily life. This forward-looking agenda reflects the conference’s commitment to turning research into practical, scalable solutions that can be deployed across manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and beyond.
The World Robotics Challenge 2023 encompassed four major events: the Tri-Co robotics competition, which explores coexistence, collaboration, and cognition among robots; a Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) Controlled Robotics Competition; a Robotics Applications Competition; and a Young Robots Design Competition. These formats were designed to test technical prowess while encouraging creative, user-centered applications of robotics technology.
To demonstrate China’s capabilities in independent robotics innovation, organizers established a platform for international cooperation and knowledge exchange. For the first time, an exhibition area showcasing 10 main application scenarios was introduced at the event. In addition to segments such as robot-assisted manufacturing and robot-assisted healthcare, exhibitors presented important robot components and systems. Jiang Guangzhi, director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economics and Information Technology, noted that more than 160 enterprises from home and abroad participated, with over 600 robotic products on display, including 60 products making their first public appearance at the event. The emphasis on application-focused demonstrations highlighted the real-world impact of robotics across sectors and the potential for cross-border collaboration in research and supply chains (Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economics and Information Technology).
The conference was organized through a collaboration between the Beijing municipal government, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the China Science and Technology Association. This joint effort reflects a broad national strategy to advance robotics research, develop a robust domestic market, and position China as a leading innovator in intelligent manufacturing and industrial automation. The event also served as a barometer for the global engineering community, indicating where technology adoption is headed and where investment opportunities are emerging in the years ahead.