Local government officials across China are rushing to introduce policies to level up the innovation and deployment of robots, especially humanoid robots, as Beijing’s policymakers upped the ante for future industries at the tone-setting central economic work conference.
The cities of Hangzhou, Chongqing and Nanjing, plus a part of the southwestern Sichuan province, have released robotics policies to accelerate robotics innovations and the “concentration of business entities” involved, the official Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday.
The eastern tech hub of Hangzhou has a development plan that would run from this year until 2029, to promote the development of humanoid robot industry development.
“Hangzhou will focus on the optimal body plus the strongest brain, and accelerating the constriction of an integrated innovation system and the whole industry chain of research and development, design, manufacturing and application of humanoid robots,” according to a statement posted on the Hangzhou city government website.
While Nanjing – the capital of the neighbouring eastern Jiangsu province – is pursuing a 2024-26 plan to promote the development of a “high quality robotics” sector.
In southwest China, Sichuan’s Tianfu New Area has proposed support, including subsidies for “core algorithm” and “large-scale industry model” research and development, while the Chongqing municipality has urged a local tech innovation fund to lead venture capital offers for robotics projects.