Why China’s humanoid robot industry is winning the early market

China’s humanoid robot industry is rapidly gaining a global lead, driven by strong government support, a robust manufacturing ecosystem, and advances in multimodal AI enabling embodied AI—robots that operate autonomously in real-world environments. Initially focused on factory automation under the “Made in China 2025” plan, China has shifted toward humanoid robots, with companies like Unitree and Agibot leading in shipment volumes. Chinese firms benefit from a well-developed hardware supply chain, largely built through the electric vehicle sector, allowing faster iteration and lower costs compared to U.S. competitors. For example, Unitree shipped roughly 36 times more units last year than U.S. rivals such as Figure and Tesla. The global humanoid robot market remains nascent, with just over 13,000 units shipped last year, but is expected to grow rapidly, potentially reaching 2.6 million units by 2035. The industry is transitioning from demo-focused showcases to practical, operations-driven adoption, particularly in China