• China will lead the robotics industry by 2018.

China will lead the robotics industry by 2018. (Photo : Getty Images)

Chinese robotic technology has reached new levels in terms of innovation but will still need to go a long way, according to experts.

Zhao Jie, a mechanic professor at Harbin Institute of Technology said that the growth of the robotic sector is challenged by the lack of competence to mass-produce reliable key robot parts such as speed reducers.

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Zhao said, "Most of the components are still imported from foreign countries, which increases the cost of robots."

In 2013, China has surpassed Japan as the world's biggest market for industrial robots, according to the International Federation of Robotics. But for every 10,000 employees, there are still only 36 robots in China, compared with 478 in South Korea, 292 in Germany and 164 in the United States in 2014.

"There has never been such a dynamic rise in such a short period of time in any other market," wrote the robotics industry analysts.

The robotics federation estimates that China will produce more than one-third of the industrial robots in 2018, more than doubling over the next two years from 262,900 currently to 614,200 and will be the leading manufacturer of robots globally.

Michael Wang, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, said, "Advances in technology, robots would become increasingly affordable and what really mattered was how to expand various application scenarios."

He added, "Currently, most robotic arms are deployed in the automotive industry, whose products are highly standardized. But when it comes to the consumer electronics sector, robots are still not smart enough to assemble smartphones, which require the flexibility of human hands. That is the direction robot makers should move forward."

Wing Chu, a senior economist at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, said that China will need to develop core technologies in all aspects.

"In the longer term, China wants to upgrade all its industries," he said.