China to strengthen robotics industry and accelerate use of smart machines 

The nation will ramp up resources to strengthen international cooperation as it strives to build a globally competitive robotics industry and accelerate the use of smart machines in manufacturing, healthcare and other sectors.

Miao Wei, minister of industry and information technology, the nation's industry regulator, said with robotics getting increasingly intertwined with artificial intelligence, big data and other technologies, the sector is playing an important role in driving economic growth.

"China, as the world's largest robot market, sincerely welcomes foreign companies to partake in the strategic opportunity to jointly build a global industrial ecosystem," Miao said at the opening ceremony of the 2018 World Robot Conference in Beijing on Wednesday.

According to Miao, the ministry will roll out measures to encourage wider cooperation among Chinese companies, their international peers and foreign universities in technological research, product development and talent education.