China Focuses National Capabilities on AI and Robotics

Unitree, a company that recently went public and attracted significant investor interest, showcased its products prominently at the main conference hall exhibition of the expo.

The robot demonstrated excellent mobility by climbing stairs and rock walls.

Kim Byung-soo, CEO of Robotis, explained the differences between the US and Chinese robot industries. He noted that in the US, Big Tech companies lead full-stack development, while in China, performance-oriented robots are actively developed with massive government support.

Korea tends to focus on developing core components like solutions and actuators needed for specific industries.

By establishing production bases abroad, the company secures price competitiveness and provides products optimized for the Chinese market.

The company aims to produce 220,000 actuators in 2025, with plans to export 80,000 to China. It is rapidly growing, having already exported 90,000 actuators to China in the first half of 2026.

The Beijing Robot Exhibition saw a very high proportion of young visitors, including kindergarteners and elementary school students. This demonstrates the efforts of the Chinese government and parents to use it as a venue for future technology education, beyond just a business exhibition.

Chinese parents show strong educational enthusiasm, recognizing the importance of future technology and wanting their children to experience robotics early on.

Amidst the US-China tech hegemony competition, China is heavily investing its elite talent and capital in AI, robotics, and advanced manufacturing. In contrast, South Korea faces structural problems such as the concentration of talent in medical schools, a disregard for STEM fields, and the departure of researchers.

It is warned that if these trends continue, Korea could lose technological sovereignty and its leadership in future industries.