China is spearheading a transformation over the next five years under what it calls “new quality productive forces.” At the heart of this vision lies the goal of turning cutting-edge technologies into new industries.
The country plans to make quantum technology, bio-manufacturing, hydrogen and fusion energy, brain-computer interfaces, AI-powered robots, and 6G communications the new engines of economic growth. This transformation is supported by a strong manufacturing supply chain and a rapidly expanding private sector.
Digital Empowerment
In China’s manufacturing hub — the Pearl River Delta — a new type of workforce is emerging: humanoid robots.
Startups based in Shenzhen are developing robots that can walk and move like humans, while companies such as UBTECH are training these robots for practical use in factories.
Currently, there are 470 industrial robots for every 10,000 manufacturing workers in China. AI-driven humanoid robots are expected to work alongside humans on cognitive tasks in the near future.
China has been the world’s largest manufacturing nation for 15 years. Now, it is shifting its focus from quantity to quality, with over 35,000 smart factories established across the country.
New Frontiers
Beyond digitalizing traditional industries, China is actively building the industries of the future.
Shanghai-based NeuroXess is developing brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies. The company has enabled epilepsy patients to form complex sentences using only their thoughts through implanted electrodes.
In Hefei, QuantumCTek is commercializing quantum-secure communication technologies, aiming to miniaturize complex equipment into chip-sized devices.
Laboratory innovations — such as 6G, eVTOL aircraft, bio-manufacturing, and solid-state batteries — are now moving onto production lines. These sectors are expected to grow into a new wave of high-tech industries within the next decade.
An Innovation Ecosystem
Chinese entrepreneurs are rapidly commercializing innovation thanks to robust supply chains and integrated manufacturing infrastructure.
According to EngineAI founder Zhao, “A component that once cost 2,000 yuan to import can now be produced locally for just 200 yuan.”
Today, the private sector accounts for 92% of all high-tech enterprises in China, with 372 unicorn companies operating as of 2024.
The government is passing new laws to support the private sector, while also opening pilot zones and incentives for tech-focused industries. For example, autonomous vehicle testing zones and airspace for drone and eVTOL trials have been expanded.
These measures are shortening the time from laboratory innovation to market application. During the World Robot Conference in Beijing, a new “robot voucher” program was launched, offering subsidies of up to 1,500 yuan for individuals and 250,000 yuan for companies.
Recently opened robot stores in Beijing — where domestic robots are sold for under 10,000 yuan — signal that these technologies are quickly becoming part of everyday life.
These new industries are no longer just a vision of the future — they are rapidly becoming a reality in Chinese households.