China

Intelligence for Better Decision Making

Shanghai Robotics Summit Showcases Breakthroughs in Humanoid Automation and Industry Investment
Dec. 11, 2025 | Technology & Innovation

The 2025 Global Developers Pioneers Summit and International Embodied Intelligence Skills Competition will gather industry leaders in Shanghai from December 12 to 14 to showcase and evaluate cutting-edge robotics in simulated real-world scenarios.

**The summit features six major tracks and 17 distinct events centered on embodied intelligence, with challenges spanning industrial production and life skills.**
Industrial tasks include moving goods and tightening screws, while life skill scenarios require robots to arrange flowers, fold clothes, and make coffee. These activities unfold in homes, hospitals, and disaster-relief environments, with judges assessing both technical performance and humanistic care.

**Aoyi Technology will supply 30 high-performance dexterous robot hands—critical for humanoid robots operating in complex urban and industrial settings.**
Aoyi’s technical team will provide on-site support as the hands undergo intensive testing, feeding operational lessons directly into future product iterations.

**Humanoid Robot (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. will enter its full-size general-purpose humanoid robot, Qinglong, in the home service track.**
Built on open-source hardware and software platforms, Qinglong will tackle tasks such as folding clothes and tidying tableware to reveal challenges in model generalization and robustness across varied domestic environments.

Shanghai Zhuoyide Robot Co., Ltd. will challenge its precision motion-control systems in the flower-arranging event, using performance data from the competition to advance research and development in high-precision robotic manipulation.

**In the industrial sector, Shanghai Kepler Robot Co., Ltd. will deploy its “blue-collar humanoid robot” team to demonstrate autonomous, flexible logistics handling.**
Key capabilities include dynamic environment adaptation, heavy-load management, dual-arm coordination, and extended operation hours supported by proprietary components and algorithms. Kepler views the competition as a stress test for its technology’s commercial viability.

**Qinglang Intelligent will present its XMAN-R1 service robot, backed by extensive deployment experience.**
In 2024, Qinglang holds a 22.7% share of the global commercial service-robot market, with over 100,000 units operating in more than 600 cities. The firm will use the competition to validate its robots’ reliability and practicality in complex, realistic scenarios.

**Rongtai Electric Material announced a USD 77 million investment to build a factory in Thailand producing insulation components for new energy vehicles and robotic parts by end of 2026.**
The facility will manufacture 14,000 tons of mica paper, 4,500 tons of mica products, and seven million sets of robotic components annually. After the announcement, Rongtai’s shares rose over 7% in early trading before closing up 1.1%, outperforming the Shanghai Composite Index. Rongtai already supplies mica insulation to Tesla, Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, and in June acquired a 51% stake in Shanghai-based Dizi Precision Machinery—specialists in planetary roller screw products used in humanoid robots—positioning itself to enter the precision transmission component market for robotics.
China’s Chip Export Surge Drives Foreign Trade Rebound amid US Tariffs
Dec. 11, 2025 | Technology & Innovation

China’s chip industry is fueling export growth as broader foreign trade rebounds amid tensions with the United States.

**In November 2025, China recorded a 5.9 percent year-on-year increase in exports to USD 330.3 billion, reversing October’s 1.1 percent decline.**
Strong shipments of integrated circuits and automobiles, alongside a lower comparative base from the previous year, drove this export rebound. Imports rose 1.9 percent to USD 218.7 billion, bringing total foreign trade to USD 549 billion, a 4.3 percent year-on-year gain.

**Integrated circuits led sectoral growth with a 34 percent jump in export value, while car exports surged 53 percent compared with November 2024.**
Analysts attribute these gains to China’s ongoing manufacturing transformation and a global upswing in investment linked to artificial intelligence technologies.

**Exports to the United States plunged 28.6 percent to USD 33.8 billion, widening from October’s 25.2 percent drop, as US tariffs averaging 31 percent continued to curb shipments.**
By contrast, China expanded exports to other major markets: the European Union bought 14.8 percent more, Japan 4.3 percent more, and South Korea 1.9 percent more.

**Exports to ASEAN countries rose 8.2 percent to USD 58.1 billion, though growth slowed from October’s 11 percent increase.**
Observers link this deceleration to reduced re-exports following US tariff hikes on certain ASEAN member exports.

**In the first eleven months of 2025, China’s total foreign trade grew 2.9 percent to USD 5.7 trillion.**
Over the same period, exports climbed 5.4 percent to USD 3.4 trillion, while imports edged down 0.6 percent to USD 2.3 trillion.

Monitored Intelligence for China - Dec. 12, 2025


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ADB revises up China 2025 growth forecast

China Daily | English | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | UndeterminedEconomic Growth

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has revised up its 2025 growth forecast for the Chinese mainland from 4.7 percent to 4.8 percent. This revision is based on stronger-than-expected GDP growth of 5.2 percent in the first three quarters of 2025 and new policy support measures. Net exports contributed significantly to growth, adding 1.5 percentage points, with exports rising 6.1 percent in US dollar terms and 8.3 percent in volume, driven mainly by non-US markets.

The easing of US-China trade tensions, export market diversification strategies, and China's strength in high-tech and new-energy products are expected to sustain export resilience in the fourth quarter. Additionally, policy support amounting to 1 trillion yuan ($141.6 billion) for investment and local governments is anticipated to offset domestic economic weaknesses. The ADB's 2026 growth forecast for China remains unchanged at 4.3 percent.

For developing Asia and the Pacific, the ADB also raised its growth outlook, projecting 5.1 percent growth in 2025 and 4.6 percent in 2026, increases of 0.3 and 0.1 percentage points, respectively. This revision reflects stronger-than-expected exports and reduced trade uncertainty following the conclusion of multiple trade agreements with the United States. Resilient consumption and robust exports—especially in electronics, semiconductors, and through export diversification—have sustained economic activity despite weaker investment and inventory destocking.

The ADB highlights that solid economic fundamentals underpin the region’s growth amid global trade uncertainties, which have been partly alleviated by new trade agreements. Continued efforts to promote open trade and investment are encouraged to maintain resilience and growth prospects for Asia and the Pacific.

新华述评·2025中国经济回眸|抓紧抓好就业这个“最大的民生”

Xinhua Commentary · 2025 Review of China's Economy | Seize and Ensure Employment, the Largest Livelihood Issue

Xinhua | Local Language | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | UndeterminedEmployment

In 2025, China has prioritized employment as the fundamental support for economic development and the largest livelihood issue, implementing various policies to stabilize job markets amid economic pressures. By the first three quarters, China achieved 88% of its urban new employment target with a 5.2% average urban unemployment rate from January to October, below the expected control target. The government introduced measures like work-for-relief programs in disaster-stricken areas, financial support for enterprises, and expanded unemployment insurance subsidies to stabilize and expand employment opportunities.

Targeted support was given to key groups including youth, migrant workers, and the unemployed through employment services, internships, labor matching, and training programs. The government helped various sectors expand job opportunities by increasing demand in emerging industries such as artificial intelligence, digital technology, and modern services. New occupations and job types have been created in response to industrial transformation, with enterprises upgrading talent cultivation to align with technological advances.

Efforts were made to improve employment quality and workers' wellbeing by strengthening vocational training, enhancing wage protections, and developing inclusive labor rights coverage for gig-economy workers. Multiple initiatives promoted skill development and better job matching, benefiting groups like caregivers and college graduates. The government also intensified campaigns against wage arrears and fostered a skills-oriented wage distribution system.

Looking forward, China aims to continue stabilizing employment through a comprehensive employment-first strategy focused on broadening job opportunities, improving employment quality, supporting vulnerable groups, and ensuring workers' rights, thus promoting social wellbeing and economic resilience.

IMF: China's resilience will be sustained

China News | English | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | UndeterminedEconomic Growth

China's economy is expected to maintain resilient growth in 2026 and beyond, supported by pro-growth macroeconomic policies and a strategic shift toward a consumption-driven growth model. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised its forecast for China's economic growth to 5 percent in 2025 and 4.5 percent in 2026, citing strong exports and fiscal stimulus as key factors. The Asian Development Bank also revised its 2025 growth forecast upward to 4.8 percent, reflecting stronger-than-expected GDP growth and new policy supports.

To sustain medium-term growth, experts emphasize the need for aggressive measures to boost household spending, including more expansionary macroeconomic policies and targeted housing assistance for young people. Boosting domestic consumption is highlighted as the overarching policy priority that will help reduce internal and external imbalances while providing a more stable growth source. Consumer inflation increased to 0.7 percent year-on-year in November 2025, driven by higher prices in home appliances, clothing, and services, signaling the impact of policies aimed at stimulating demand.

The property sector slowdown remains a significant drag on consumer confidence. The IMF recommends decisive actions to resolve this issue, such as allowing unviable developers to exit the market and completing unfinished housing projects. The Chinese government’s emphasis on strengthening domestic demand was reiterated during a recent Political Bureau meeting, with projections indicating final consumption expenditure could exceed 90 trillion yuan ($12.7 trillion) during China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, accounting for about 60 percent of GDP.

Increased fiscal support for consumption is expected in 2026, including continuation of the national consumer-goods trade-in program and improved housing subsidies for young people. Additional initiatives may involve extending public holidays and paid leave. Financial institutions forecast China’s deficit-to-GDP ratio will stay around 4 percent to enable proactive fiscal policies. Suggestions to tailor subsidies based on product price and technology level were also proposed to further stimulate consumption growth.

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