BEIJING - China's industrial robot output increased 8.7 percent year-on-year in the first 10 months of 2018, slower than the 9.3-percent growth for the January-September period, according to official data.

A total of 118,452 units of industrial robots were manufactured January-October, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

In October, robot output dropped 3.3 percent year-on-year to 9,590 units, the MIIT said, without explaining the reason behind the fall.

China's robotics industry has maintained rapid growth over the past five years. Industrial robot output surged 81 percent to exceed 130,000 in 2017, achieving the government's target three years ahead of schedule.

The country released a guideline in 2016 with a goal of tripling annual production of industrial robots to 100,000 by 2020.

The guideline said China planned to spread the use of industrial robots in industries such as car manufacturing, electronics, home appliances, aviation, textiles and chemicals.