China has solidified its position as the global leader in industrial automation, with the number of industrial robots in operation surpassing 2 million in 2024, according to the World Robotics Report 2025 released by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).
The report revealed that the global stock of industrial robots reached 4.664 million in 2024, marking a 9 percent increase year-on-year. By contrast, the figure stood at 2.027 million just a decade earlier, underscoring the dramatic growth of the sector.
IFR President Takayuki Ito noted that China’s strategy to modernize its manufacturing base has reached a new milestone through automation. “China’s robot stock has doubled in just three years — surpassing 1 million in 2021 and reaching 2 million in 2024,” he said.
Globally, 542,000 new industrial robots were installed in 2024 — more than double the number recorded ten years ago. Of these, China accounted for 295,000 units, more than half of the total. Japan followed with 44,500 new installations, the United States with 34,200, and South Korea with 30,600.
Regionally, Asia dominated the expansion, hosting 74 percent of all new installations, while Europe and the Americas accounted for 16 percent and 9 percent, respectively.
Source: Lili-Hashim-Tuhina, China Media Group