Touch the pulse of the development of advanced manufacturing
Quick Look
- The 2026 World Manufacturing Conference Robot Exhibition showcases intelligent robot technologies such as the industrial-native humanoid robot "Xi Feng", which realizes the transformation from "attracting attention" to "doing work" from the booth to the workshop.
- The article pointed out that China has built more than 56,000 basic-level smart factories and other data, emphasizing that collaborative innovation in the industrial chain promotes the development of advanced manufacturing and extends to agriculture, communities, families and other livelihood areas, reflecting the achievements of building a manufacturing power and its supporting role in Chinese modernization.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The article mentioned that the "15th Five-Year Plan" outline proposes to promote the "smart transformation to digital transformation" in the manufacturing industry, implement smart manufacturing projects and industrial Internet innovation and development projects, and provide the latest data that my country has built more than 56,000 basic-level, more than 9,000 advanced-level, and more than 500 excellence-level smart factories, and has cultivated 15 pilot-level smart factories.
Xinhuanet, Hefei, September 24th, Title: Touching the pulse of the development of advanced manufacturing
Xinhuanet Tang Yang Li Dongbiao
In Hefei, Anhui Province in autumn, at the 2026 World Manufacturing Conference Robot Exhibition, an industrial-native humanoid robot named "Xi Feng" stretched out its mechanical arm and accurately selected materials from the shelves. It was clean and precise, attracting praise from the audience.
Not far away, in the Dongcheng Science and Technology Innovation Industrial Park, silver-gray industrial mobile robots that have "participated" in science fiction movies are flexibly shuttled and efficiently collaboratively completing tasks in high-end industrial scenes such as semiconductors and energy chemicals.
From exhibition stands to workshops, from science fiction to reality, intelligent robots are moving from "attracting attention" to "doing work". A mobile phone, an air conditioner, and a new energy vehicle may all come from a "thinking" production line: robotic arms accurately weld, AI vision picks out defects that are difficult to see with the naked eye, automatic guided vehicles carry materials back and forth, and digital twin technology simulates the production process in advance...
The "15th Five-Year Plan" outline proposes to promote the "intelligent digital transformation to network connection" in the manufacturing industry and implement intelligent manufacturing projects and industrial Internet innovation and development projects. The latest data shows that my country has built more than 56,000 basic-level, more than 9,000 advanced-level, and more than 500 excellence-level smart factories, and has cultivated 15 pilot-level smart factories. These figures reflect the development pulse of China's advanced manufacturing industry.
A flower blooming alone is not spring. The development of advanced manufacturing is a systematic collaboration of the industrial chain, innovation chain, capital chain and talent chain. The "Quantum Street" in Hefei High-tech Zone gathers dozens of quantum companies, forming a cluster of leading companies, further amplifying the innovative advantages of quantum technology; Beijing's Yizhuang, where "Rocket Street" is located, brings together more than 160 aerospace companies and more than 600 aerospace ecological companies, and its commercial rocket concentration reaches 75% of the country's total. Enterprises in the chain are getting closer and closer, and collaborative innovation is getting tighter. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, my country's advanced manufacturing industry has continued to develop and grow, with innovation, competitiveness, and comprehensive strength significantly enhanced, and solid steps have been taken in building a manufacturing power.
The pace of development of advanced manufacturing has also increasingly entered the ordinary fireworks, bringing better services, better experience, and more convenient production and life to the people. In the field, drone plant protection and smart irrigation make farming more labor-saving; in the community, unmanned delivery vehicles deliver packages downstairs, and smart security makes living more secure; at home, sweeping robots, smart door locks, and health bracelets assist daily life and protect physical and mental health... When advanced manufacturing is integrated into the lights of thousands of homes, hard-core industries will have a palpable warmth for people's livelihood.
Inside the venue, a number of innovative achievements were unveiled. The smart scene in the whole house can "talk but not use hands", and the boxing robot can "fight" back and forth; outside the venue, from intelligent efficiency improvement, to green carbon reduction, to integration and expansion... Made in China, which is innovative and optimizing, is growing jointly on the vast land, constantly consolidating the foundation of the real economy, and injecting strong momentum into Chinese modernization.
Poster/video production: Wang Ye, Zhang Qian, Xia Yuanyuan
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
China will continue to increase the number of advanced and excellent smart factories and promote high-quality development of manufacturing industry
Likely · Within years
Open Questions
- What is the specific distribution and industrial concentration of these smart factories?
- What is the progress of the core technology and commercialization of the ‘Xiu Feng’ robot?
- What specific achievements have the companies on Liang Street and Rocket Street made in terms of technological innovation?
