Canton Fair debuts service robot zone as high

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By Chi Jingyi (Global Times) 13:55, April 18, 2025

You Li revealed that his target products at this edition are robots, artificial intelligence (AI), and smart machines, which he called the "ultra-new three items."

At the 137th edition of the Canton Fair, an exhibition area for service robots was packed with visitors. The zone was set up for the first time at the fair, on display during phase I, themed advanced manufacturing, from April 15 to 19.

46 Chinese companies displayed their cutting-edge robot-related products. The intelligent exhibition zone features over 1,100 participating enterprises showcasing more than 320,000 smart products, according to official statistics.

"On the first day, we received an order from a German client for a child companion robot. The client initially placed an order for several sample units and plans to follow up with bulk orders," Shu Xuqiong, vice general manager of Guangzhou Inbot Technology Ltd, told the Global Times.

According to Shu, this robot supports remote video communication between parents and children. The German client intends to integrate local early childhood educational resources into the device through AI to enable interactions with children.

Shenzhen-based Elephant Robotics also won orders on the first day of the 137th Canton Fair.

"Buyers from Russia and the US immediately placed orders after interacting with our robotic pets," Lin Peini, a manager at Elephant Robotics, told the Global Times, adding that the bionic robotic pets have secured 20 confirmed orders, while the robotic arms have generated 12 purchase intentions.

Tian Gang, sales director at MagicLab, a Chinese robotic startup, told the Global Times that hundreds of companies have exchanged contact information on-site seeking collaboration, with several industry leaders signing deals with MagicLab, spanning sectors like industrial manufacturing and electronic appliances.

MagicLab's humanoid robot was one of the top stars at the exhibition area. Countless overseas buyers flocked to the zone, enthusiastically filming robotic dogs, industrial exoskeletons, autonomous patrol robots, barista robots, medical robots, and many more.

Chinese robotics exhibitors highlighted how innovation and advanced technology have empowered exporters to transition from "Made in China" to "Intelligent Manufacturing in China" and "Created in China."

This technological leap has enabled Chinese exporters to maintain resilient export performance despite the uncertainties brought by US tariffs.

In the past, Chinese products won global buyers with "competitive pricing." Today, premium-quality positioning has gradually become their core competitive edge, numerous exporters and buyers told the Global Times at the Canton Fair.

"The technology evolution alters from day to day in China. I go to every Canton Fair to closely follow the latest technology trends," said You Li.

The Canton Fair mirrors China's export evolution - a tech leapfrogging. Such transformation is backed by the country's industrial upgrade from a labor-intensive to an innovation-driven growth model.

"To be honest, our competitors are our Chinese peers. We have no international competitors at the moment, which was hard to imagine five years ago," a Jinan-based manufacturer of automatic welding production lines, told the Global Times at the company's booth.

Many Chinese exporters, when introducing their latest products and technologies to the Global Times, emphasized the patent numbers they hold and the core technologies that they have captured.

"Due to core technologies, our exports surged by about 20 percent since the beginning of the year," Du Qidong, head of automation BU at Jinan Senfeng Laser Technology Co, told the Global Times.

The company's sales volume at the 137th Canton Fair is expected to reach 40 million yuan ($5.5 million), said Du.

Huang Changtu, sales manager at Hualian Science &Technology Group, told the Global Times that due to advanced technologies, the company's production schedule is fully booked until June, with major exports to Germany, the UK, Spain, the Americas, and Southeast Asia.