Vice premier at 2018 WRC: China's willing to promote robot industry development

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The World Robot Conference (WRC) 2018 kicked off at Beijing Etrong International Exhibition and Convention Center on Wednesday with over 300 experts and entrepreneurs participating.

Click here to have a look at the robot show with CGTN's tech team.

Under the theme of "Creating Intelligent Momentum for a New Era of Openness and Shared Benefits," the five-day conference features forums, symposiums, exhibitions and contests that have attracted nearly 5,000 competitors from over 10 countries.

Contestants at the World Robot Conference (WRC). /CGTN Photo

Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, when addressing the conference on Wednesday afternoon, talked about the development of the robot industry and noted five areas China should emphasize.

Liu said that the global and Chinese robot industries have witnessed great momentum in recent years and show full potential to become a new growth point.

In 2017, China produced over 130,000 industrial robots – an increase of 68.1 percent compared to that of 2016, and the rapid growth continues.

However, the vice premier also pointed out there is still a gap between China and the world leaders. To promote sustainable and healthy development, efforts are needed in the following aspects.

Chinese Vice Premier Liu He addresses the World Robot Conference 2018, August 15, 2018, Beijing, China. /CGTN Photo

First, China's robot industry should adapt to the market’s needs and keep improving the supply quality.

Second, the Chinese government should provide a favorable environment for innovation as much as possible, which includes more investment in research and development, and a steadfast commitment to protect intellectual property rights.

Moreover, education on robot-related disciplines, and solutions for moral and ethical problems brought by rapid development in the field are also worth attention.

Finally, Liu stressed that China is willing to promote the robot industry's development in an open environment and welcomes all kinds of cooperation, saying that working together, instead of unilateralism, is the way to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

According to the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), the WRC is devoted to providing opportunities and platforms for international cooperation and academic exchanges among robot industries at home and abroad.

The event is jointly hosted by the Beijing municipal government, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and CAST.