China to host World Robot Conference in November

BEIJING - The World Robot Conference 2015 will be held in Beijing from Nov 23 to 25, focusing on collaborative innovation and the building of an intelligent society, organizers announced Friday.

Jointly held by China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the event will include a forum, an exhibition and an international robot competition for teenagers, senior CAST official Wang Chunfa said at a press briefing.

According to Wang, speakers from China, Germany, the United States and Japan will deliver reports on such topics as robot research and technology development, and the latest products and research findings will be showcased during the three-day event.

Vice Minister Mao Weiming revealed that sales of industrial robots in China hit 57,000 last year, marking a year-on-year increase of 55 percent and a quarter of global sales.

However, Mao noted China's inadequate capacity in independent production of high-end robots, revealing that a plan is being mapped to boost the country's robot research, development and application in key manufacturing fields.

Organizers estimate that some 40,000 people will take part in the conference.