China Accounts for 97% of Global Humanoid Robot Shipments in First Half of 2026

China has strengthened its position in the global humanoid robot industry, with Chinese companies accounting for more than 97% of worldwide humanoid robot shipments during the first half of 2026.

Industry data showed that global humanoid robot shipments reached around 19,100 units between January and June. That represents a 272% increase compared with the same period last year. China also accounted for more than 85% of global demand during the period.

The rapid growth has helped Chinese companies take leading positions in the market. AGIBOT overtook Unitree Robotics to become the world’s largest humanoid robot supplier in the first half of the year.

China Accounts for 97% of Global Humanoid Robot Shipments in First Half of 2026

Unitree, which was the global leader in 2025, has also made a major move in China’s financial market. The company set its IPO price at 150.8 yuan ($22.35) per share as it began the share subscription process for a listing on the Shanghai stock market. The offering is expected to raise about 6.1 billion yuan and could give the company an estimated market value of around 61 billion yuan.

Experts say China’s advantage in robotics comes from several factors. These include its large manufacturing base, strong domestic supply chains, early policy planning and a huge market where companies can test and improve their products.

China has also increased the domestic production of key robot components. More than 90% of the important parts used by some Chinese humanoid robot makers now come from domestic suppliers. Unitree’s supply chain also has a domestic production rate of around 90%, with the company developing all of its core components itself.

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The country’s large industrial market provides another major advantage. Humanoid robots can be tested in areas such as electric vehicle production, electronics manufacturing, warehouses and logistics. These real-world applications allow companies to improve robot hardware, software and artificial intelligence systems more quickly.

China has also taken steps to establish robotics as an important industry. Robot manufacturing was officially included as an independent industry in the national industry classification system in 2017. More specific categories were added in 2023.

In June 2026, several Chinese ministries launched a program focused on real-world training for humanoid robots and embodied AI. Customs rules were also updated to introduce specific tariff codes for intelligent robots, making exports easier. Insurance support has further helped companies manage risks when selling robots overseas.

China now has more than 400 humanoid robot models, which represents over half of the global total. Experts believe the country could produce more than 100,000 humanoid robots this year if current growth continues.

Chinese robot exports are also expanding quickly. Industrial robot exports reached 6.29 billion yuan in the first half of 2026 and covered 141 countries and regions. Overall robot exports increased 359% year on year, while surgical robot exports grew more than three times.

AGIBOT provides an example of this rapid expansion. The company produced its 15,000th embodied AI robot on June 28, less than three months after reaching the 10,000-unit milestone. Its robots are being supplied to customers in China and overseas for manufacturing, logistics and commercial services.

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The company also plans to increase its international business. AGIBOT expects overseas sales to account for more than 30% of its total sales in 2026 and could eventually exceed 50%.

China’s progress in robotics is closely connected with its growing AI industry. Chinese AI models have also gained significant global attention, with Chinese models accounting for 41% of downloads on Hugging Face over the past year.

Experts believe the growth of robotics, AI and other high-tech industries could further change China’s export structure. Instead of relying mainly on traditional manufacturing, Chinese companies are increasingly competing in advanced technologies and developing products for global markets.

The expansion of humanoid robots could also benefit industries outside China. European universities and manufacturers, for example, are showing interest in Chinese robots as businesses face rising labor costs and seek new ways to improve efficiency.

As Chinese companies continue to expand internationally, the country is moving from being mainly a manufacturing base toward becoming a major player in technology, innovation and advanced industrial systems.