China has established its first government agency aimed at supervising the entire embodied intelligence industrial chain in Shunde, Guangdong Province. This groundbreaking move signifies a new strategic approach to seamlessly integrating artificial intelligence with the tangible economy. The Shunde Bureau of Embodied Intelligence, operating under Foshan City, was formally launched on July 28. It stands as China’s pioneering governmental body assigned to oversee the development and coordination of the complete embodied intelligence industrial chain.
Shunde boasts the title of being China’s prominent manufacturing hub for industrial robots. Its robotics industrial cluster was recognized as a national specialized industrial cluster for small and medium-sized enterprises in 2023. By 2025, the district had witnessed significant growth in its robotics industry, with an output value close to 40 billion yuan, sustained by over 100 supporting enterprises. Notably, eight percent of Shunde’s major manufacturing companies have successfully undergone digital transformation. The local factories, smart homes, and municipal management systems serve as practical arenas for testing humanoid robots.
Hai Yubao, the newly appointed director of the bureau, introduced three pivotal initiatives: the “AI+ Industrial Restructuring” scheme aimed at fostering innovation, the “100 Smart Robots” plan to expedite robot deployment and utilization, and the “Embodied Intelligence Chain Reinforcement” plan to enhance innovation capabilities and industrial supply chains. Chen Xinwen, a Standing Committee member of the Foshan Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China and the secretary of the Shunde District Committee, articulated the region’s commitment to enhancing AI literacy through widespread training programs and fortifying industrial development platforms.
The inauguration of the Shunde Bureau of Embodied Intelligence marks a significant milestone in China’s journey towards effectively amalgamating artificial intelligence into its industrial landscape, setting a precedent for future advancements in this domain.
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